Past Time
by KibaSin
Summary: A collection of Kagome-based one-shots that revolve around many different themes, emotions, and wild ideas that roam my head. Features males from a variety of different anime and manga. Requests currently closed.
1. A Reason: Sesshoumaru

_**Past Time:** Collection of Kagome One-Shots_

_**By: **Kiba/KibaSin _

**_Summary: _**_To pass the time when I can't think of anything else, I've decided to make a collection of Kagome one-shots. They shall have boys from Inuyasha, Naruto, Yu Yu Hakusho, Fruits Basket, and other anime/manga shows/books that I've seen/read. _

**_Disclaimer: _**_I do not own any of the characters that I decide to use. Not from Inuyasha, not from Naruto, Fruits Basket, Yu Yu Hakusho, or anything else. I also do now own anything that belongs inside those shows/manga books. I say this because it will be the only disclaimer I put into this story._

**_Rating: _**_T _

**_Genre: _**_It varies from each one-shot. Every one of them does have the General things that make it 'T', though. _

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_**Requests—**_Please feel free to request anything, but know that there will be times when I cannot fulfill a request, whether it has to do with the fact that I have a lot of others, or because I simply do not have information on the anime/manga. I merely ask that you put the whole name of the anime/manga and the character that you wished place with Kagome so that I may ask for the information I might need or apologize for not being able to do such a pairing. 

However, even if I am allowing requests, please understand when I am not able to fulfill one within a long period of time—I have many ideas haunting my mind _all_ the time. Also, please note that I _will not_ do Inuyasha/Kagome one-shots, and not because I have something against the pairing. I feel that if you wish to see or read Inuyasha/Kagome then you should watch the anime or read the manga. So, I ask that you do not request it, I will not write it.

_**

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**_

_**Title: **A Reason_

**_Summary:_ **_Her eyes have been dried of her tears from the torment inside her soul. Now, read as Kagome learns to cry once again, but instead of in sadness, in happiness, when she learns that the most unlikely person loves her._

**Pairing: **Sesshoumaru/Kagome

**Anime: **Inuyasha

* * *

_**All Dried Up:**_ _By: Kiba_

My tears are gone…

Even when I cry,

None ever seem to come…

It's as if my well is empty,

From so many years of torment…

Even when I cry,

Each time is always the same…

Dry eyes, while sobs still heave within my chest.

It seems I have no tears to give,

As if my emotions are so secure that…

I can't even get in one moment of peace…

My well is empty,

The rain still has not come.

If it does not soon then I may never cry again –

- At least not when tears are involved.

…My tears are gone,

…Lost in my past…

…Even when I cry,

…Filled with so much torment that…

…No tears form within my eyes…

…I locked my emotions away,

Forever more…

My tears are completely gone,

Hidden somewhere deep inside me,

Yet I will never be able to let them go.

For you see,

I cannot cry…

I have barely ever before…

Now, when I try, my eyes are still focused…

And drier then anything other then normal…

Yet, my tears are lost completely to me, and now…

You see, I no longer show emotion,

My face is as neutral as ever.

When I try to let it out of my body,

Nothing ever seems to happen.

All I feel is heaviness within my chest,

Nothing more…

I can longer find water within my well for these tears I wish to cry…

…That's why I'm all dried up…

* * *

She wiped at her eyes once more, for that was all she could do at this moment. It was so strange; she couldn't feel the same salty liquid running down her face like it usually did in these times. She would have thought that perhaps she'd get over this stupid crush she had developed, but seeing _them_ together, it broke her heart. Her heart was aching, probably having been smashing into a million little pieces by the boy she set free from his imprisonment, the same place that the love he now held, had mated with, had fired an arrow upon him, pinning him to the spot. It seemed, now, that Kikyo's soul had finally been able to get passed that moment in time, finally beginning to love the man she thought she wanted so badly… 

Why, if she thought she needed him, wanted him, craved for him, didn't she cry? She'd always been able to cry. Now, it seemed like the ability was gone from her grasp, flying up into the sky where she couldn't reach it, taunting her as she gave off half-hiccupped sobs of despair. Still, she knew that his choice would come someday, and though he'd been chasing away possible suitors, and nearly every guy that looked her way, well, she'd always known deep down that in the end, he'd mate with Kikyo. Somehow she'd always known Inuyasha would not pick her, thus throwing her into the background like yesterday's trash.

Wiping at her eyes once more, Kagome knew it wasn't going to do anything but cause her eyes to turn red and possibly become swollen. Still, the question remained, _why couldn't she cry? Why didn't tears of pain, torment, or possibly from any type of heart fallen emotion fall from her eyes?_ Even as she continued to ask, wiping her eyes on her school's uniforms sleeve, she got no answer. Not that she'd expected one, but it would have been nice to at least get a simple little answer that would explain to her why she only sobbed, instead of truly cried.

Maybe she didn't truly love Inuyasha? Maybe that was why she couldn't cry? Who knew, but she did know this, she sure as hell didn't know what was happening! Still, maybe that there was that small chance that maybe, just _maybe_, her heart no longer belonged to Inuyasha. However, the feeling of it breaking once more, her minds eyes seeing Inuyasha's sweating skin slide against Kikyo's, before suddenly his fangs sinking into the mark he'd just created. Yes, she knew, her heart did belong to Inuyasha, but that didn't mean it had to remain that way, did it?

Perhaps she was cursed that way. Maybe she had had some type of spell placed on her when she was little, and in her greatest time of pain, when she actually wanted to feel the wet trails of tears down her face, she would not be able to cry. In fact, it reminded her of something. An empty well, yes, that was the perfect way to describe how she currently felt. She felt like there was nothing inside of her, like her tears had suddenly dried up along with the rest of her bodily fluids. Yes, she truly felt like she could just go out into the sun and dry up. After all, that's what a little amount of water did inside a well on a hot day, wasn't it?

She shouldn't really blame anyone, really. The last time she'd remembered crying as much as she did with her time with Inuyasha was the time that her father died in a car crash. After that, she hadn't really had a reason to cry that was, until she fell down the well and met the inu-hanyou she thought would fill all her dreams. She was so wrong. So, so, very wrong, indeed. Inuyasha had only caused her pain, and now, since she hadn't realized she should have given up on him sooner, she was suffering from it. Not only because she wanted to rip Kikyo apart piece by piece, but also because she didn't understand why she couldn't cry all of a sudden. Sure, she could sob, but that was only half the deal that came when she let out her frustrations.

She felt like the world was mocking her.

Blinking a few times, Kagome pulled her knees up until they brushed against her chest, slightly thankful for her flexible frame. Still, she buried her face into her slightly parted legs, not caring a bit if anyone saw her in this state. No, for then they might be able to get rid of her current and most disturbing misery. Especially since Kagome couldn't understand it. She knew absolutely no one else that couldn't form tears in their eyes. Ok, she knew a few, but each of them could care less because they were so much more powerful then her weak human self. She couldn't count them, though, for they were all demons, and from what she'd learned powerful, strong demons don't cry. What reason would they have to let meaningless human emotions run wild in their systems? Exactly, they wouldn't.

Sighing through her nose, Kagome tried not to think about Inuyasha and Kikyo. After all, they were the reason she was always crying in sadness in the first place. Sure, she knew that if she were frustrated enough tears about fall from her eyes, but why wouldn't they now! WHY? She wanted to shout it to the gods above! She wanted to march up to Inuyasha and tell him to have his whore of a clay pot to look for the Shikon Shards, since she knew for a fact Kikyo could see them too.

After all, what was she but a copy of Inuyasha's dearest Kikyo? She was supposed to be Kagome, Higurashi Kagome, but in his eyes, she just wasn't herself. She wasn't Kagome; she wasn't anything, but a copy of Kikyo. No wonder he picked the original, as Kikyo liked to call herself, over the copy. What use was she when the original version could do everything but bare him children in the end? Plus, once the Shikon no Tama was restored to its former glory, she pretty much knew Inuyasha's new wish, and even though it was a selfish wish, she didn't care. No, he could have his living Kikyo and go fuck himself for all she cared.

In the back of her mind she heard the voice that told her she'd always love him. No matter how hard she tried, she'd always love him, even if her heart was given to another and she moved on, a piece of her would always belong to Inuyasha. That same voice was what caused her to feel like that empty well once more, because she tried to begin crying, but all she got was half the deal, a bunch of heaving sobs and nothing more. That, people, was why she was the copy. It was so obvious she was inferior to everything, and everyone around her, now. She couldn't form tears within her eyes, and she was starting to feel as if she were nothing but an empty shell, or maybe a body without a soul. What use was she, hm? What good could she bring, when she couldn't even bring the person she thought might love her within her arms for all eternity? Perhaps she really was a copy, and Kikyo would rise up once again, taking back her place while Kagome disappeared through a magical well, back into the future…

She never noticed the chill surrounding her, nor did she notice the large amount of demonic energy that filled the place she had hidden herself. Inside she couldn't care less, even as the energy increased, obviously a spell being spun very close to her. She didn't care though, for she was still confused about why her eyes did not shed tears, when they had done so only a few days ago. Maybe she dried up? Yeah, maybe she could no longer cry because the gods no longer wished it. Or maybe she was just supposed to feel broken and sorrowful. If only…

If only she had someone who would comfort her. She knew that Sango, or Miroku, would any day, but she wanted more then simply the comfort of a friend. No, she wanted the comfort of love, something that was handed to her without restraint, without the person merely deciding they no longer wished to keep her. No, she wanted real love, a love that lasted forever, which was when she finally raised her head, trying to blink away the small haze that had formed before her eyes quite suddenly. It was already dark out, so it was hard to see, but still, now she didn't just feel empty, no, now she also felt blind and alone, as well.

Her eyes began to adjust to the dim lighting, though, and something very magical began to happen. She blinked again to make sure she wasn't just dreaming, but indeed, a flower suddenly began to grow, and blossom right before her very eyes. It started out small, simply sprouting from the ground, before beginning to grow taller, and taller, before suddenly the bud began to open, showing her the flower within. She was so focused on the flower that she never noticed the figure dressed in white appear before her vision, his black boots nearly a hair away from the blooming flower. No, for Kagome watched, enchanted by the magical flower growing, before her eyes widened, her sobs finally coming to a complete stop, when she felt her heart nearly stop.

Surely this could not be happening, no! However, she could not deny what was before her eyes, nor could she deny the words on each petal as it finally bloomed completely. Before her very eyes had it grown, before her very eyes it now sat, bathing in the moonlight, before a large clawed hand reached down, picking the flower from the stem and holding it out to her. She still did not understand quite what was happening; no all she knew was the flower was unlike anything she'd ever seen. When it had first begun to open she'd thought it was merely a purple colored flower, but she'd been proven wrong. The tips of each petal were purple, the rest of the petal white until it came close to the center, where it turned light blue, before reaching the very center, which was completely black. It was not a normal flower, that was for sure, and that was all she could really get to run through her head, even as she looked up at the Mighty Lord of the West, Sesshoumaru, who held the flower out to her like an offering.

His silver hair shone in the moonlight, nearly beaming as if it was starlight itself. His face was calm and serious looking, telling her that when he spoke he would speak only the truth, even if she might not believe him. The flower, though. Her eyes went back to the flower to make sure what she thought she'd seen was true. And, in fact, it was. Right on the very petals, was her name, the words, _I love you, S_, imprinted below it in the most beautiful kanji she'd ever seen. Without much thought she reached out, her fingers touching his lightly, taking the flower from his grasp.

She didn't know what to say. She felt her throat suddenly constrict together as she stared at the small saying, obviously true in it's meaning, since Inuyasha had told her Sesshoumaru never lied. Why, though, why was Sesshoumaru giving it to her? Her mind was confused, and she finally felt tears begin building behind her eyes, but not because of the feeling she'd felt after seeing Inuyasha mark Kikyo, no, from merely staring down at the words that seemed to ripple and melt as she gazed at them, and as she twisted the stem within her fingers, nearly forgetting the Aristocratic Assassin was standing right in front in front of her.

Giving another choked sob, she managed to look up at him, saying, "Its beautiful."

Sesshoumaru merely blinked at her, before reaching out once more to gently lift the flower from her fingers. Before she could say anything else he had it tucked behind her ear, moving her hair out of the way in order for the blossom to be seen easily. With its size, though, it would easily be seen, but he moved her hair out of the way none-the-less. "No," he replied, shocking the young miko, "it is merely a flower, miko. True, it might be beautiful in its own way, but it is the woman that wears it that makes it truly lovely."

_Woman that wears it…? Surely he is not talking about me_, Kagome thought, blinking at him. She touched the flower, covering the blossom, before smiling a little, "It will wilt soon without water." However, she wasn't allowed to move, no, for her not only would her legs not go when she told them to, but Sesshoumaru's hand was suddenly placed on her shoulder, pushing her so that she was sitting back down where she had been for possibly a few hours.

A small smirk formed on his lips, as he said, "The flower will not wilt, miko. Do not worry yourself over such minor things."

"But—"

"Trust this Sesshoumaru," he continued. "The flower is made from a spell mixed with my demonic energy. It will not wilt, never, as long as you hold it."

Kagome blinked, a sob heaving through her chest suddenly, even though she hadn't expected it. She touched the flower once more, allowing her hand to cup it, before allowing the hand to fall into her lap. However, when she looked down her eyes widened, for in the middle of her hand was the words once on the flower, rippling light blue and black, before it disappeared into nothingness. Before it disappeared she'd read it over and over and over again, trying to make since of it, even though the words were spelled out right before her very eyes. "Do," she couldn't force herself to continue, merely turning her eyes away from him.

She felt so empty…

With a hand far more gentle then his should have been he cupped her chin, pulling her face until she was looking back at him. He saw tears forming in her eyes, obviously trying to deny the words written on the flower. However,he touched it, knowing that though he might not be able to tell her in so many words, it had always been true. Perhaps it was only an obsession in the beginning, but he wanted her happiness, he wanted to do what he could to see her smile, he wanted to… he wanted to be seen the way his brother was within her eyes. He wanted it all, and he'd remember his father talking about love being the same way, how you wanted to protect the other person more then yourself. However, for now, he merely said, "What is it you wish to say… Kagome?"

Her name passed his lips like a solemn whisper, but she heard it either way. Where she'd once felt empty, and dry, she felt like something was sobbing deeply inside of her chest. Why, why did it have to be him? True, she'd once thought that perhaps it would be nice to be with him, but that was before she'd learned of his demon ways, of how he merely killed people without second thought. Thinking about it now, he always had a reason he did something. He was so much different then Inuyasha… so much different, indeed.

"Does-do the… um… t-the w-w-words on the p-petals…" she stopped for a moment, the thing in her chest sobbing harder, before she choked out, "a-are _they_ true?"

He gently moved his knuckles over her cheek, before replying, "This Sesshoumaru never lies." It was true, for he was not lying. Why would he lie, when he would soon have the most precious thing he could ever have in his life? Soon, he would take the woman back to the House of the Moon, and soon he would make her his mate. No, he would not lie about something like that.

Those four little words were what broke the dam, and quite suddenly Kagome was flooding with tears, all of which streamed down her face. She flung herself into his chest, her face burying itself in his silk robes, while his arm wrapped around her back. She shook her head, wondering why this eternal creature would have such feelings for her, but his reaction to her sudden outburst told her that though he might not understand what was happening, he was true to his word.

His face buried itself into her hair; breathing in her scent of the dawning sun, mixed with many spices that seemed to sing to his very senses, while his arm tightened its hold on her body. He could nearly feel the happiness that seemed to be rolling off her in waves, and he use his nose to nudge her chin upward so she could see his face. Once he had caught her blue orbs within his gaze, he said, "Tell me, Miko Kagome, does this reaction mean you will accept this Sesshoumaru's offer."

"O-Offer?" she sniffled, and watched him nod. "I do not think you have given me an offer yet, Sesshoumaru."

He smirked again, "Ah, but this Sesshoumaru has. You have accepted my gift, my Eternal Flower Offering. Now, tell me, do you accept this Sesshoumaru's offer of becoming his mate? Should you, you're lifespan shall equal out to my own; you shall become a creature similar to a hanyou, if not more because of your miko abilities; you will have the responsibilities of the Lady of the Western Lands." He stopped, allowing the information to sink into her mind, before continuing, his smirk growing, "You will also have the responsibility of taking care of our many children, since our long lives shall come with many of them should you agree."

Kagome smiled a little, happiness welling up inside of her. Her mind might have been a little confused, but her heart knew what to do, and she nodded to his offer, before tightening her hold on him. Her tears continued to spring from her eyes, and it seemed that at last she had gotten past the phase where she felt like nothing more then an old dried up well, an empty body or soul. However, she could not help but say, "You're just as lecherous as Miroku-san."

"Ah, my mate," he said, "the monk does not know the meaning of lecherous."

Kagome began to laugh. His face was so serious, she could not help it; however, for now she was just happy that though she hadn't gotten the man she wanted, she'd gotten another that she'd learn to love with time. After all, no one had ever asked her, instead of merely declaring that she belonged to them.

* * *

Quite suddenly my well was filled. 

The rains had finally come,

And my eyes flooded over with joy.

With happiness, my well shall stay filled,

My love will know no bounds.

No longer am I an empty well,

For I do not know the meaning, of –

- All Dried Up…

_--Fin_


	2. Frozen Love: Sohma Akito

**Kiba's Quick Note For _Manga _**_Fruits Basket_ **Fans:** I will not tell you exactly the whole thing, but Akito is a guy in this because it is based off the ANIME! Ok! Now, lets move on!

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_**Title:** Frozen Love _

**_Summary:_**_ She wasn't apart of the family but she could hug each and every one of the Sohma boys without them transforming. It caught the interest of one Sohma Akito, before a frozen love formed between them._

**Pairing: **Akito/Kagome

**Anime:** Fruits Basket/Inuyasha

* * *

"What do you mean?" he asked, turning his eyes to watch the indifferent Sohma as he sat upon the floor closer to him. The dim lighting of the meeting room made it hard to see the other Sohma, but he knew exactly who was there from the sound of his voice. Not that it bothered him, he wanted to know more about this woman who'd apparently tripped and hugged Momiji when he'd been playing at the park with some of the other children he knew. From what he'd been told, the woman was not of the Sohma family, and it made no sense that Momiji did not transform suddenly into a rabbit afterward. From what he'd been told, Momiji hung onto the woman after that, never once changing while she humored him by playing with him. 

"It… shouldn't have happened. I don't know why Momiji didn't transform, nor do I know why the woman continued to play with him afterward. She seemed to have pity toward us, and it almost made me wonder if she knew about the family curse," came a reply from behind him.

He lowered his dark eyes until he was staring down toward the floor. "Did you ask her anything? Her name, her current residence, her number… or must I go out and find this woman and do everything by myself?"

"Yes, Akito," the other man answered. "She told me her name was Higurashi Kagome, and that she currently lived at the Sunset Shrine, which used to be owned by her mother."

"Used to?" Akito asked.

"She did not wish to speak more upon the subject; she hugged Momiji a little tighter, nearly crying in the middle of the park. She merely told me that she was taking care of her little brother now that she was out of college and both her parents are deceased."

Sohma Akito nodded, turning his head to see the other man better. "I believe I should meet Miss Higurashi. Perhaps she will be a way of finding the way to break our family curse," he said, his tone soft, yet hauntingly dark at the same time. "Yes, it would be most interesting to know how she was able to interact with Momiji in such a way when she is not apart of the family. And you well know that only another Sohma should have been able to hug Momiji without the possibility of him transforming… it will be most interesting to know her secrets…"

"Akito," the other man said. "I saw such sadness in her eyes, almost like she was being haunted by something. Perhaps it is not best to bother her, but simply allow her to live out her life? She told me that she merely wanted to play with someone, since she had once taken care of a small child and it had been a while since she'd been able to enjoy such a luxury."

"Hm…"

* * *

The sun began to shrink beneath the western horizon as Higurashi Kagome swept the courtyard, her mind wandering back to her life back in the feudal era, a life long since put behind her. However, a tear streaked down her face as she looked toward the western sky, the face of her love, after she'd given up on Inuyasha, came to the front of her mind. The image turned from her, though, and she knew that Sesshoumaru was… was… he was no longer with her. If he was still alive then he would have come to her by now, so it was obvious that he was not, which meant she'd wait until she found his reincarnation, or perhaps until she simply died and joined him whenever he was. It seemed so selfish of her, but she'd lost her mother, her grandfather having died around a year earlier, almost a month after she'd returned and began trying to make life for Souta easier than it had been at the beginning of their loss. 

Sighing, Kagome turned her mind away from any type of thought, continuing to sweep in order to keep her thoughts off of her old life, a life that had been buried behind her. It'd only been risen a little when she'd met a young boy dressed in girl's clothing at the park, and he'd reminded her so much of Shippo that she'd ended up playing with him when she'd expected to go shopping, not end up playing with a boy she hadn't known. Well, that was until that polite man, Hatori, told her a bit about the boy named Momiji, about how his mother hadn't wanted him and he was placed into the care of the rest of his family. It had made her sad and she'd told him that she'd once taken care of a boy who'd lost both his parents, since she very well couldn't have told him that she'd taken care of a kitsune child five-hundred years in the past.

Smiling, Kagome remembered the way the boy had clung to her, and the strange feeling she'd gotten from him, almost like an evil magic was radiating from him. The man he'd been with had also had the same type of magic around him, and she'd wondered what could have brought such a thing upon the Sohma family, for she'd sensed that Hatori was not Momiji's father, and it was obvious from the way they looked.

The sound of footsteps brought her attention to the steps, before she watched a dark head suddenly appear, before a handsome man stepped up completely, glancing around and finally settling his eyes on her. However, the aura that she sensed told her not to completely trust this man, perhaps tell him to leave and never bother her again. That would be rude, though; she would simply listen closely to his words and see how he reacted.

"Miss Higurashi, I presume?" he asked.

Kagome nodded her head, "Yes. I'm guessing you are not here to see the shrine, and I must ask you to call me Kagome. I have never liked being called Miss Higurashi, it used to make me feel like my mother… and," she sighed, "it still does."

He smiled, "Very well, Kagome. I am Sohma Akito, cousin to the young boy you played with in the park a few days ago."

Kagome smiled as well, "Oh, Momiji? He was such a darling boy. I-I know that it might be wasting your time, Sohma-san, but would you tell Momiji that I enjoyed our time together. I would much like to do it again."

Akito blinked. He understood what Hatori had said. She had a sadness that seemed to glow about her, but her happiness settled it down until someone who wasn't looking wouldn't notice it. "I believe Momiji would also enjoy it," he said, nearly rolling his eyes afterward. "He has not had the luxury of having a female companion, other than those inside the family, for many years."

"Would you tell me why you're here, Sohma-san?" Kagome finally asked. "I feel that you are never completely truthful with anyone; that you hide the way you truly feel behind kind words and actions." Seeing his eyes narrow, she said, "I know this because I have had the luxury of once being within the presence of a man as cold as ice. He did not hesitate to tease me, nor did he try to hide whatever he was feeling once he actually understood that emotions made him who he was. You seem so much like him, yet you do not wish for others to know of what you feel, thus you try and cover those feelings by making others feel good or making them happy."

Akito's eyes narrowed more than he thought they would. "I wish to know how you managed to embrace Momiji. I wish to know your secret," he said. Crossing his arms behind his back, he grabbed both his elbows in his hands, before beginning to walk toward the woman standing there. She must have been at least twenty-three years old, and she was staring at him in confusion, obviously wondering why he'd ask such a thing. _So, she knows nothing of the Sohma family,_ Akito thought.

"I have embraced many children, half of which are boys. What would be so different about Momiji, other than the strange feeling that I get whenever I'm near him?" she asked. She followed him with her eyes; "I noticed that I sense the same thing from you, and from Hatori when I was near him. He seemed almost cautious when I was around Momiji, watching me like I would suddenly grow another head and eat him."

Standing in front of her, Akito leaned in, watching the woman as she narrowed her eyes. "What is your secret, Kagome, that you can hug a Sohma without anything happening? What is it that you do in order to make the curse fail?"

"Curse?" she asked.

"You seem like a very trustworthy and kind woman, Higurashi Kagome," Akito said. "I believe if I asked you to you would be able to keep a secret all to yourself. Like you feel I do not show how I truly feel, I feel that you hide secrets of your own."

Kagome's eyes narrowed in thought, leaning closer to the man. "You're cursed, aren't you? No, the Sohma family is cursed, not just you. Is that why you want to know why I can hug a Sohma? Because the curse causes something to happen whenever the opposite sex hugs them?" she questioned, looking straight into his dark colored eyes. She saw ice and fire, almost like they were fighting inside of him.

"I see you are a very intelligent woman as well, Kagome," Akito whispered, coming closer. "I shall tell you, and should you ever tell anyone your memory will be erased of this day, and everything I'm going to tell you. Do you understand that?"

"Yes," she replied, almost hesitant.

"I wish to know how you managed to embrace Momiji because of the Sohma curse. It causes us to transform whenever hugged, or embraced in any way, by the opposite sex—unless they are of the Sohma family themselves. We transform into the twelve animals of the zodiac, as well as the cat from legend," he said. "I wish to know how it is you've managed to make the curse fail, instead of Momiji suddenly turning into a rabbit on the spot."

"Momiji's a rabbit?" Kagome smiled. "Oh, so cute!"

"I… suppose," Akito said. "However, I believe that it might have been a fluke, something that you did because you knew our secret without our knowing. Perhaps Miss Honda was the one to tell you. I did not trust her in the first place, she's merely trying to split my family apart and drag them all from the Sohma's main house."

She leaned away from him, the broom falling from her hand as she said, "I-I have done nothing to do such a thing. And who is this Miss Honda? I have not been around anyone who would be considered a teenager, or anyone under the age of eighteen—besides my brother—for at least the last month. I'm afraid, Sohma-san, that your assumption is wrong!"

"Oh?" he asked. Tilting his head to the side, Akito unlatched his arms, before suddenly they shot out, gripping her upper arms. She gasped, her body suddenly pulled to his, before he leaned over her, his lips crashing to hers to distract her. Once he felt her begin struggling against him, he cautiously put his arms around her, before pulling her closer, knowing that it should have transformed him. He was shocked to find that he was still kissing her, and she was still pushing against him, tears beginning to stream down her face before he released her, allowing her to nearly fall to the ground. He grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet, before saying, "Hm? I would appear that you were telling the truth. Forgive me, Kagome, for—"

The crack of skin connecting with skin sounded throughout the courtyard, before Kagome glared at him, straightening herself. Her miko outfit, what she was wearing at the moment, fell around her like water, before she clenched her hands and turned from him. "I'm afraid, Sohma Akito, that I will not accept that type of behavior when it comes to my person. I will keep your family secret, but I'm afraid that I must ask you to leave now, Sohma-san, for I do not know how much of your presence I can tolerate."

Reaching his hand up, Akito watched her as she stalked away. She was practically fuming, and it pleased him to get such a reaction out of her. He did not know why, but it did please him. Rubbing at his cheek, Akito turned from the shrine, promising to return once the woman calmed herself. He needed to learn her secret, how he had managed to embrace her without changing into his animal form. The kiss… was a slight added bonus.

* * *

Tohru smiled, watching as Momiji played on the swing, before rushing over to play on the slide afterward. She wished she could play with him as well, but Momiji had a habit of rushing up to her at random moments and hugging her, which wasn't what they needed in public. Especially with everyone else watching. However, for now she merely smiled at the boy, watching as he continued his small game. 

"That's odd."

Turning her head, she looked up to Yuki, who was standing nearby in case Momiji decided he wanted a hug from her and transformed. She frowned, before saying, "What's odd, Sohma-sama?"

"Hm," Yuki blinked. "Oh, nothing, I just thought I'd saw something, that's all, Miss Honda."

"Oh, alright, if you say so." Tohru turned back to the young boy, watching as quite suddenly he perked up, jumping from the swing he was sitting in. Smiling, she thought that he'd come running toward her, but instead he smiled brightly and began rushing in a straight line toward the edge of the park, his arms held out wide.

"KAGOME!" Momiji yelled.

Tohru blinked in surprise, turning to see a woman smiling from the edge of the park. She gasped, jumping to her feet upon seeing the woman spread her arms wide to take in the hug. "Yuki!" she yelled, watching as the boy turned to watch the boy who transformed into a rabbit running straight toward a woman they'd never seen before. It was clear that Momiji had, but Yuki began running forward, just as Momiji jumped into this woman's arms, and she swung him around. Tohru gasped again, seeing Momiji hug the woman in return, and without the curse taking affect.

Kagome smiled, watching the almost silver haired boy come to a stop. She looked to Momiji, who was cradled in her arms, before beginning to walk toward them. "How has your day been, Momiji?" she asked. She nodded to the two who'd been watching the rabbit boy, before swinging him around once more.

"My day was fine," Momiji said, "but now its great, Kagome! Great!"

Yuki blinked in surprise, "That's… amazing…"

Tohru came to Yuki's side. "Sohma-sama? I don't think I've ever seen her, is she apart of the Sohma family?"

"N-no," Yuki shook his head.

"But then—how?"

"That would be something we would all like to know," Akito said, standing behind Kagome. He watched as Kagome turned toward him, lifting her nose into the air. Obviously she hadn't gotten over what he'd done at the Sunset Shrine. "Greetings, Miss Higurashi. We meet again, it seems," he said.

"Akito," she said, nodding her head.

Yuki's surprise seemed to rise. He glanced at Akito, trying to keep his emotions in check, before asking, "W-who are you?"

"Oh, please excuse me rudeness," Kagome bowed a little with Momiji still in her arms. "I am Higurashi Kagome, and you are…?"

"Oh," Tohru blushed, before giving a small bow as well. "Honda Tohru. Its is very nice to meet you, Higurashi-sama."

Yuki bowed as well, "Sohma Yuki. It-it is very nice to meet you."

Kagome placed Momiji onto his feet. Touching his nose with her finger, she said, "Now, why don't we go play on the swing or something, hm? Would you like that, my little rabbit boy?"

Momiji nodded, before grabbing her hand. Dragging her behind him, he headed toward the swings, giggling, "Here, I'll push you, Kagome!"

Kagome laughed, before placing her arms underneath his arms and lifting him up. He wasn't exactly light, but he wasn't heavy, either, which was what made it easy for her to lift him up onto her shoulders. After all the years of traveling with Inuyasha she'd grown quite strong, and Momiji was nothing compared to that. "I think I should push you, Momiji."

"Oh," Momiji frowned. "I wanted to push you."

She laughed again.

"Odd, isn't it?" Akito asked. "I still have yet to figure out why she can embrace us without us transforming. Perhaps she is a distant member of the Sohma family, or perhaps she is using magic to hold the curse down. I do not know which seems more childish yet."

Yuki clenched his hand, "Have you ever seen anything like this, Akito-sama?"

"No," Akito replied. "Miss Higurashi is the most interesting of people, indeed."

* * *

Akito sat close by, watching the others as he leaned against the wall. He heard Kagome introduce herself, Momiji still sitting in her lap after they'd played at the park for a few hours. He heard Shigure, Ayame, and Kyo reply, each of them giving their names, before asking if it were true that she could hug the members of the Sohma family, to which she gave an example by hugging Momiji, the rabbit boy never once transforming. 

Turning his head to see her, he listened as she explained her duties at the shrine, told them a little about her brother and of her past; nothing too special. What was it that made her different from all the others around them, though? He could sense the nature within her, and he was confused that he'd found a person that could be trusted completely. Perhaps she was a woman to watch more often, seeing when she made a false move and blew her cover. Yes.

* * *

"Akito?" 

He knew everything that she'd thought on those days because she'd told him. She'd told him everything, her past, her thoughts, her dreams, what she liked, what she wanted, everything… yet she was so kind and generous and thought more about others than herself. From what he knew about Miss Honda, they were much alike, but he knew that Kagome was far more observant, she held strong to what she believed in, and she could argue like a hurricane. Yes, they were much alike, but they were so much different, and staring out the window Akito knew this.

* * *

"Kagome," she turned to find him standing close behind her, his eyes staring into her own. His presence seemed cold, but his eyes were warm, the ice hidden underneath them for her, only her. She smiled at him, her eyes brightening as he moved toward her. She was the only one to see him truly happy, but he didn't care for some reason, he just wanted her closer to him. "Kagome, I wish for you and your brother to live in the main house." 

"What?"

"I wish for you to move into the main house," he continued. "You bring happiness and courage to those inside the Sohma family, and I wish for that to continue. For the sake of those around me, if not for myself."

"Akito…" Kagome blinked, "are you sure? No one outside the Sohma house has ever even…"

"I would not have asked if I was not sure," Akito continued. "The Sunset Shrine shall be well taken care of. There is no worry there. However, the entire Sohma family has come to love you, Kagome. We wish to have you closer to us. We wish for you to be inside the Sohma house and to give us joy."

"But—"

He caught her chin between his fingers, leaning in like he always did, his eyes boring into her own. "Come now, Kagome, you would not wish to upset the entire Sohma household, would you? You would not give up their joy over something so minor… or perhaps you would…?"

"No!"

…

* * *

"Akito?" came a voice behind him once again. Blinking, pulled from his memories, Akito turned his head to see Kagome standing behind him, her kimono something that he'd given her. She'd become a shining light inside the main house of the Sohma family, brightening their days and giving them hope that they could do anything as long as they didn't fear being transformed. He almost smiled, before giving her a small nod, watching as she came forward and sat before him, placing her head in his lap. He listened, as she said, "Akito, what are you thinking about? It's been a while since you've sat here in the window." 

"Nothing truly important, Kagome," he replied, running his hand throughout her hair. He loved her hair, especially when it was long. He didn't know why, exactly, actually, it was just something that he'd always loved about her, after their second kiss, which had been softer than the first one… and at least she didn't slap him then.

"Mm," she sighed, closing her eyes. "I love you, Akito," she whispered.

He smiled then, saying, "I you, Kagome." He knew this was only half true, for both sides. They loved each other because they needed to love each other, and because they understood each other better than anyone else had. It was like a frozen love: one that they had frozen over so that it didn't break, it didn't die, it didn't grow, it simply stayed the way it was. Yes, that had to describe it perfectly, for he did love Kagome, he did, but he'd locked away most of his heart in ice, and that froze over his love. Even if Kagome were to leave him that love would forever be there, for he needed it. That was why she and her brother now lived in the Sohma's main house, for he needed her to, and he didn't want anyone to try and melt the frozen love he'd created with her, that he needed from her.

_I will forever love you, Kagome… even in the next life…_

_--Fin_


	3. Sensei, My Love: Fujiwara no Sai

**_Title: _**_Sensei, My Love _

**_Summary:_**_ She asked him to play a game of Go with her, and after that they played almost every other day. Read as Fujiwara-no-Sai remembers the woman he came to love back in the Heian Period, before he died and his restless spirit was imprisoned inside a Go board. _

**Pairing: **Sai/Kagome

**Manga:** Hikaru no Go/Inuyasha

* * *

He glanced down at Hikaru as he spelt beside the woman he loved, his lips forming a deep frown as he watched the two lovers sleep peacefully. Hikaru had wrapped himself around Akari, protecting the woman he'd taken as his wife, while he merely sat in the background, ignoring those around him as he remembered things of his true life. Before he was tricked by that blasted man in the Heian Period and unable to calm himself he had lost the game and banished from the capital, before he ended his life by drowning himself, even though his love had still been alive; before his soul was trapped within the board that he'd come to love, more so when he had found love within the body of a woman. A woman long since dead.

He loved Go, he played it often with Hikaru on the thing he called the Internet, inside that strange box known as a computer. He still did not understand how things had come that far, but he could play under his own name almost every other day. At least whenever Hikaru was not playing himself, now a pro, having passed the level of even the greatest Japanese Go player.

Sighing to himself, Fujiwara-no-Sai, a spirit inside the subconscious of a young man—recently married—, closed his eyes. Inside his mind he could remember things that had passed by long ago, but still moved into his mind every once in a while. He could remember these things only whenever his _host_ was in love, or at least sleeping beside a woman. Though he knew he was dead, he wished deeply that it was him that was lying in the bed, his precious woman wrapped within his arms as her bright, radiant smile beamed up at him.

_Oh, Kagome, how I miss you…_

**FLASHBACK **

"Oh, look," a woman, giggled, "Sai has come to pay us a visit!" She looked back at the other women, most of which stood to stand beside her as the handsome dark haired man came toward them. They almost sighed happily, before a voice rang out behind them. They watched Sai, before turning their eyes to the woman sitting behind them when she spoke, seeing that she was staring down at the board they were currently using.

"I believe it is white's move."

"Kagome," she smiled, knowing that the woman loved the game. She knew that the younger woman-child would almost give up everything to play and learn more about the game. She was seen with Sai almost more so than the emperor himself was, but no one seemed to mind since Kagome merely wanted to play and learn more about Go. Go, Go, Go, Go, Go; that's all it ever was with Kagome anymore, almost like she was obsessed with the board game. "It's not fair that you played while I was distracted."

Kagome smiled back, "Perhaps you should pay more attention to the board than your own fantasies, then, Etsu." Kagome tapped the side of the Go board, "It was not unfair that I played while your attention moved elsewhere. A little, perhaps, but we are not playing a teaching game. After all, it is your responsibility to pay attention to the board and to try and capture my stones."

Etsu sighed, glancing back toward Fujiwara-no-Sai as he moved into the room they were using that day. She sighed happily, watching as others crowded around him, asking him to play teaching games with them. He, of course, nodded and said that he'd play with each of them, and sat before them, asking for them to bring three boards in front of him. Once there she watched as Sai and the girls chose for color, before he began playing with them, his smile bright as he played the game he loved. She feared that he would love the game more than anything else, but she merely decided that for now it was best to go back to their game. "So, Kagome, have you noticed that dear Masakazu who has been watching you?"

"Oh," Kagome blinked, confused. "Masakazu? Oh, yes, he asked for my hand the other day."

"That's right, your father is dead, is he not?"

"Yes," she replied.

"May his spirit rest in peace," Etsu replied. "So, Kagome, what did you say? Without your father you have the right to chose your husband, and Masakazu is a very nice man."

Kagome's eyes lowered, "I told him no." Her voice was soft, like most of them within the presence of a man. She lowered her eyes, watching as Etsu snapped her stone down onto the board, before picking up one of her own. Casting her eyes around the board, she smiled, before snapping her own down, capturing six white stones. She smiled brighter when Etsu laughed at her mistake, before picking up the white stones she'd captured and moving them from the board.

Etsu nodded, "That is understandable. After all, who doesn't want love more than simply a husband?" She snapped her stone down onto the board, before glancing around in a sigh. Shaking her head she watched Kagome make a move, before saying that she resigned. "I do hope that you find the right person one day, Kagome. You deserve it."

"Thank you, Etsu." Kagome glanced over to find an empty board before Sai, her smile still on her cheeks. She stood, her long black hair spilling around her since she barely ever held it within any binding. Her purple kimono moved as she walked forward, glancing down at the games Sai was still playing. The girls seemed to enjoy playing with the emperor's teacher, and she was happy for them. However, Kagome sat beside him, watching, as he played while keeping silent, knowing that she should keep silent until the man at her side spoke to her first.

"Ohayo, Kagome," Sai said, turning his head a little. He watched the two boards, skillfully making the girls place the stones where they should have been in a certain situation. However, he saw the blush stain the cheeks of the young maiden, and smiled thoughtfully at the sight she made.

Lowering her gaze, Kagome whispered, "Ohayo, Sai-sensei."

"Would you like to play a game as well, Kagome?" he asked.

She nodded, clenching her hands in her lap. Her gaze turned from him, before she stood. "If it's not too much trouble, Sai-sensei. I would love to play a game of Go with you. But I do not wish to be babied and play a teaching game."

"Very well," he said. "We can use this board here," he placed a black stone down onto the second board, a white one onto the first. "Since it has already been decided you shall be white, and I shall be black."

"Oh, thank you, Sai-sensei!" She stood, her dainty feet moving her until she stood before the Go board, where she sat upon the small pillow behind it. Since she was white, she went second, and she waited until Sai placed down a black stone, before she picked up one of her white ones and snapped it down diagonally from his own, toward the upper right.

She stayed silent as they continued, each snapping down a stone after the other. A smile soon placed itself onto her lips when she realized she was winning. She decided not to celebrate, though, for Sai could make a wonderful come back within a few moves. She would need to stay on her toes, but even though she did after that moment she lost by five points, and sighed.

"You did very well, Kagome," Sai smiled. "You're learning Go much better than I would have expected."

Kagome tensed. Her eyes narrowed, and the other girls suddenly backed away, knowing that since Kagome's mother had died during birth, and her stepmother had shunned her that Kagome had only had a male's influence throughout her life. She has quite the mouth whenever a male disrespected her position as a woman, even though she seemed so quiet and distant when you first saw and spoke with her. "Are you saying that because I am a woman?" she hissed.

Sai looked surprised, never having seen this side of her. However, he smiled, allowing a chuckle to pass his lips, before shaking his head. "No, Kagome. You're an excellent Go player. You merely learn faster than most other people I have taught." Smiling a little more, Sai said, "I believe that you're still learning, and I believe you have the skill to become a great Go player, even if you're a woman."

She lowered her head once more, another blush staining her cheeks. "I apologize for my rudeness, Sai-sensei."

"Do not think much of it, Kagome," Sai said. He nodded to them, before standing. "I must leave you now, ladies. I believe that the emperor will want to see me soon, and his messenger only comes to my private chambers to get me. I do, however, hope to see you all again soon." He dipped his head once more, looking down at the young maiden who would no longer look at him, and smiled. With that he turned and left, only casting one last glance at the maiden as he moved to shut the sliding door behind him.

**END FLASHBACK**

A tear formed in his eye, before Sai lifted his hand to wipe it away. He remembered the way her blush traveled down her cheeks and into her kimono, and he remembered how he'd use to tease her just to see it stain her cheeks. He used to love to run his tongue along it when they made love, even if it was only a few times before the day he'd saw his opponent cheat, but suddenly he stood to yell that he, Sai, had cheated—the day the emperor had believed that damn man and banished him from the Capital; unable to keep himself together he'd thrown himself into a river, never to return to the surface. Sentenced himself to an eternity without his Kagome until he played the divine move, which he still hadn't played because of Hikaru!

"Kagome," he whispered, knowing that only Hikaru would be able to hear him inside his thoughts. However, the newly married man was too far asleep to have noticed that he was restless this night. It was strange, since he usually felt what his host, student, or whatever you wanted to call the body he was transferred to, felt. He was usually tired whenever Hikaru was, and he usually slept whenever he did… but not tonight. No, his soul of restless and he reached out for his lost love, wondering if he'd ever see her again, or if fate had torn them apart.

**FLASHBACK**

"Kagome?"

She jumped upon hearing her name, before turning to find Sai standing behind her. She had been staring at the Go board in front of her, trying to figure out how Etsu had managed to beat her, since she never lost to Etsu. The only thing she could think of was she'd been playing teaching games with the emperor's other Go instructor, and that he had taught her a move she had yet to learn. Yes, but she jumped instantly upon hearing her name, before turning toward Sai, and smiling. "Oh, konbanwa, Sai-sensei! What brings you here this lovely eve?"

"I wished to play with you, Kagome," he replied. "You would not object to a game of Go, would you?"

"…No," she blinked. "But, aren't you supposed to play a teaching game with the emperor this eve?"

He nodded, "Yes, but he has no need of me this night. His messenger told me that he is playing with another instructor and I may do as I wish this night."

Her confusion grew.

"And I wish to play with you," he smiled.

"I would love to play with you, Sai-sensei—"

"There is no need to call me 'sensei', Kagome. To you I am Sai, for I am no longer your sensei." He flipped open the fan he carried, before bringing it over his chest, "You're getting better each day, and that should make you my equal, not my student."

"I am not that good…" she whispered. She turned back to the Go board she'd used to play against Etsu, before beginning to clear the stones away, placing the right colors into each Go bowl. It wasn't often that an opponents stones got mixed up, but she knew that should they she should tell her opponent, apologize, and give the stone back to them. That was what Sai had taught her about the game, at least. She didn't get far before Sai's hand clasped around her wrist, his question clear in his eyes though he spoke it.

"What do you mean, Kagome?" he asked. "You're an excellent opponent."

Twisting her hand, she clasped his hand within hers. "This game is between Etsu and I. I do not understand, Sai-se—I-I have never lost to Etsu, yet I lost today. I have been trying to understand the reason I lost so that I can learn more of the game, but I have yet to figure out how she beat me." She lowered her eyes from his, closing them when she felt shame crush her insides upon realizing Sai now knew why she'd been sitting in front of a Go board most of the day.

"Do you remember where all the stones were placed?" he asked. He sat beside the maiden, watching as she nodded. He'd only seen a glimpse of the board, but he knew he could return each and every stone to their rightful place. However, he wanted to test Kagome a little, and he placed his fan before his lips, watching as she began moving the stones to their places. His eyes narrowed, however, when she placed one in the wrong place, and told her so.

Kagome snapped her head toward him. "This is where the stone was placed when Etsu played it, though. How did it move elsewhere without my—" She gasped, returning her eyes to the board, before shaking her head. "Why would Etsu resort to cheating, of any kind?"

Sighing, Sai eyed the board critically, before returning his attention to Kagome. Tears were streaking down her cheeks, and he gave a look of surprise, watching them fall onto her hands as she denied the fact that Etsu might have cheated. It was not that hard to believe, he remembered seeing her try and cheat against him once, before she noticed that he'd caught her and looked the other way. Placing his fan beneath her chin he tilted her face so that she was looking at him, before saying, "Etsu is merely that type of person, Kagome. You cannot change, nor ignore that any longer. She might not have cheated when she could beat you, but now feels that you're becoming stronger than her and decided she wanted to make you feel the way she did."

"I do not understand why someone would tarnish any game of Go with such deceit, though," Kagome whispered, closing her eyes.

"Some people need to feel bigger than others. Do not feel pity for someone who has done such things," Sai said. He smiled, watching as her eyes dimmed, before he leaned closer to her. "Now, why don't we play our own game, Kagome?" he saw her eyes brighten, before she was suddenly leaning closer to him. Confused by her action, he frowned, before feeling her lips touch his own. When she pulled away he whispered her name, feeling the loss of her presence heavy on his shoulders.

She blushed. "Oh," she stood suddenly, the kimono hanging around her before she turned from the Go instructor. "I apologize, Sai. I did not mean any offence to your person. Please, forgive me, I feel the need for rest now." She began to walk forward, but a hand clamped around her wrist, before she turned to Sai, seeing him standing behind her.

"Do not be ashamed of your actions," he whispered, tilting her head with his fan once more. "Do not be ashamed of what you feel, Kagome. Never." And with that he sealed her lips with his own, leaning closer to her as she suddenly seemed to melt against him, and when his arms wrapped around her he knew he wouldn't be able to stop. He wouldn't stop until he was lying beside her, sweat falling from both their bodies… before he asked her to marry him.

**END FLASHBACK**

Nearly a month had passed, and they played Go more and more often, both of them seen within each other's presence more often. The emperor even asked him once if he had grown fond of the woman, since someone always saw him with her at least once a day. When he told the emperor he planned to ask her to be his wife the emperor had congratulated him, and it was after that he rushed back to her chambers, to find her waiting for him, her yukata long gone.

**FLASHBACK**

"Sai?" she whispered, pulling the sheets higher onto her skin. She watched the man come forward, her naked skin prickling with fear at the thought of an unknown male entering her chambers. However, a candle was soon lit and Sai's handsome face came into her view, his smile unusually bright. "Sai…?"

"Kagome," he whispered. Within moments he'd rid himself of his clothing, before he found himself lying beside Kagome. He pulled her tightly into his arms, their skin hot against each other. "Oh, Kagome…"

"Sai," Kagome whispered, burying her face into his neck. "Is there something you wanted? I didn't expect you until the sun was completely gone."

"I want to ask you before you slept tonight, Kagome," he whispered.

Kagome blushed at the way his words sounded to her, before feeling his teeth begin nibbling on her ear. She moaned, "Oh? What was it you wished to ask?"

His tongue darted inside her ear, before he pressed a kiss against the shell. "I wished," he whispered slowly, "to ask you to become my wife…"

"W-what?"

"Become my wife, Kagome. Be mine."

She lifted her head, before staring into his eyes. "Sai? I-I don't—"

He pressed his lips to her own. A wet popping sound echoed off the walls when he removed his wet lips from her once dry ones. "Kagome… Kagome… Oh, Kagome, I-I love you, Kagome." He watched her eyes brighten her lips turning into an instant smile, before her arms tightened around his neck, pressing herself closer to him.

"I love you as well, my sensei," she whispered, her lips an inch from his. "I-I want to be your wife, Sai! I do!"

**END FLASHBACK**

_I'm so sorry, Kagome. I didn't want to… he forced me out. I lost, when I should have thought of you to calm me. I should have thought of how happy we'd be together, but instead I lost because of cheating… and I lost you…_

**FLASHBACK**

He stood at the edge of the Capital, listening to her near silent sobs as he turned his back from her. He'd lost. He'd lost, all because he had not been able to calm his mind. He could not tarnish Kagome with his supposed foul play. No, his precious Kagome would find someone else, and he would be able to find peace somewhere. He… he wasn't sure what he should do.

"S-Sai," she sobbed. "Please, S-Sai, re-reconsider! I-I-I w-w-wish to-to c-come w-with yo-u! P-p-please, don't leave m-me alone-ne…"

"I'm sorry, Kagome," he whispered. "I must go alone. You're not the one banished from the Capital city, I am. I will not allow the woman I love to travel when I do not even have a horse to carry her. Please… please, Kagome, go back to your chambers and forget about me."

Kagome began crying louder. Her arms suddenly wrapped around him, before she asked him again and again not to leave her. Her face buried into the back of his kimono he remembered that he had to leave the Capital city, all because of that blasted man. However, he shook his head, "No, Kagome. Go back to your chambers and do as I told you. Find another man to love, and love him with all your heart, for I do not deserve such things."

Her arms were suddenly gone, and he turned to see her glaring at him. Sai allowed his eyes to widen at her temper once more, before she suddenly turned from him. When he was about to reach out and touch her shoulder, he heard her whisper, "You do not love me."

"Kagome—"

"If you loved me you would not leave me here alone! You would not tell me to find another man to love! You would not tell me any of this! You're so caught up with that last game that you cannot remember your own feelings," Kagome continued. "I-I hate you, Sai."

A cold feeling gripped his heart as he heard those words. He watched her suddenly turn her eyes toward him, as he shook his head. "K—"

"Go away, Sai!" Kagome yelled. "Go away and leave me alone! Get out of here! Go! You do not wish for me to follow, and I will not if that is what you want! I hate you! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" She turned suddenly, picked up the front of her kimono and began running. Tears trailed behind her as she went, her words ringing within the air that she'd suddenly left.

Holding back his own sob, Sai turned from the Capital city, and began walking. He did not know what he was going to do with his life, but he was not sure how long he'd last when he knew that Kagome hated him. She hated him because he was leaving her, leaving her to find another husband, another love, and another person to hurt her.

**END FLASHBACK**

_Kagome…_ Sai glanced back at the loving couple once more, before shaking his head. He wished that he had not left Kagome. Wanting to play more Go his soul had been restless and ended up trapped inside a Go board, one stained with the tears he'd wept after realizing he might never find the afterlife and the fact that he'd left his life, his love, and the only things he'd ever wanted behind. It was a shame he realized it after he'd drowned.

Closing his eyes, Sai flipped open his fan, before smiling at it. He knew not what had become of Kagome, but he hoped that she had had a life worth living. He hoped. "Kagome, my love," he whispered, holding the fan close to his lips. "I wish you could hear me, my love. After all these years I still mourn the loss of your presence, your scent, and everything that you'd ever done to make me happy. Sometimes I feel it might have been better to stay alive, instead of throwing myself into that river… I never realized what it might have done to you to have me gone." He shook his head again, another tear escaping his eye and quickly moving down his cheek.

He heard Hikaru give a small groan of sorrow, obviously feeling the sorrow that he felt. He sighed, knowing that he shouldn't be feeling this way, but the memories he normally pushed away could not be hidden from his mind when he saw the two on the bed so happy. Turning his head from them, he never saw Akari wrap her arms tighter around Hikaru, pulling him close, before a pair of arms wrapped around him. He was confusion and almost frightened at the fact that someone was holding him, a restless spirit, until he recognized the kimono sleeve from the Heian Period.

"Sai," came a female voice. "Do not let your sorrow control you."

Pulling the arms from him, he turned to find brown eyes staring up at him. He touched her perfect face, before feeling her spirit rub against his own, her restlessness slipping from her body and into his own. Smiling suddenly, Sai allowed the tears he'd held back begin streaking down his face, "Ka-Kagome!"

"I lied, Sai," she whispered, holding his hand within her own. "I love you, my sensei. My love."

"Kagome," he whispered. His lips suddenly touched hers, feeling her once again even though he knew he should not. However, he was not complaining as he placed his forehead against hers. "Kagome."

"I wanted to tell you that…"

_--Fin_


	4. I Promise: Gaara

**Kiba's Note:** This one is really fast, so please be patient with it, its the first time I've ever written anything with Naruto.

* * *

**_Title: _**_I Promise _

**_Summary:_**_ Returning from the chuunin exams after being defeated by Naruto, can Gaara express his feelings to the only one who's ever truly loved him? Or will he think that he should only love himself forevermore? _

**Pairing: **Gaara/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/Inuyasha

* * *

_I promised myself. I promised that'd I'd return, no matter how hurt I became… though I doubted anyone would ever touch me. I was proved wrong when I met Rock Lee, and even more so now… I still promised, though, and I shall keep that promise. I will find out if she truly loves me, or if I'm just a monster to her like everyone else._**FLASHBACK**

"Temari!"

The team of three turned, a twelve-year-old girl running toward them through the crowd of people inside their village. She was smiling, but they could tell there was sadness beneath that smiling face. After all, Temari had once protected the girl from her own father when he was yelling at her, throwing sand into the air and hissing that she'd never make a good shinobi, before slamming her into a wall. Temari had become her role model, and she had recently turned her attention to Gaara, watching him as the sand moved and did whatever he wished. Now the girl was rushing toward them, the sand moving around her feet as if it were pushing other people out of the way, before it pushed her forward and she landed in front of them.

Temari smiled, watching as a small sand castle built itself into the girl's hand, before it crumbled to pieces. She watched as she tried again, the castle crumbling once more, before there was a burst in her chakra, the castle suddenly becoming sandstone within her hands, and the girl skipped from foot to foot in happiness. "Wow, where'd you learn that, Kagome?" she asked.

Kagome turned her eyes away, "I… Um, I don't know."

Temari turned her eyes to Gaara, watching the silent boy as his eyes narrowed, probably from the burst of chakra that Kagome had given off. It wasn't surprising, though, Gaara loved to fight those with lots of power so that he could relish in their blood afterward. However, she didn't care what Gaara wanted, she would fight against him should he or his demon ever go after Kagome. She was like the sister she never had. "That's fine, Kagome. I'm sure you'll know sooner or later," she said.

"I don't know how I did it," Kagome said. She glanced to Gaara, watching the red haired boy for a moment, before shifting her eyes back to Temari. "I just sort of asked the sand to move… and… and it happened. I don't know why, but for a moment I felt like I could do anything—or I could ask it anything that it was able to do and it would have done it."

Her eyes held such brightness, and Gaara turned his eyes away from it, watching as she turned her eyes back to the sand. Her chakra spiked again and he held himself in place, watching as she blew at the small castle she'd created, the pieces of sand falling away from the castle piece by piece, before they began swirling around Temari before they fell away. He heard her sigh, and her disappointment at the fact that the sand didn't do as she completely wanted it to.

"Hey," Kankurou said, "You're pretty good!"

"Oh," Kagome blinked, "thank you." She placed her hands behind her back, leaning forward a little. "I heard that you were going off on a mission, Temari. I wanted to wish you all farewell before you went." She saw their eyes drift to the silent shinobi, and smiled, "Even Gaara!"

She was wishing him farewell? _Why,_ Gaara thought, his eyes shifting back to her? _What reason would she have to do such a thing?_ Everyone had always shunned him because of the sand demon placed inside of him when he was young. It took over his body whenever he fell unconscious, which was why he hadn't spelt in years, the demon eating away at a piece of his mind each time. It was _odd_ to have someone who constantly asked him how his day had been, his favorite things, how he managed to control the sand so easily, and was always wishing him farewell whenever he left the village limits. It was… _almost_ annoying. Almost.

Kankurou shook his head, hearing the slight fluttering of her voice when she mentioned Gaara's name. The girl needed to get over the crush that she'd formed for Gaara, or the kid was going to get hurt. "That's very nice of you," he said, smiling.

Kagome's eyes lowered, "I also wanted to tell you that my squad is going to go on their own mission tomorrow, Temari."

"Really?" Temari blinked. Kagome's team consisted of three sand shinobi, two girls and one boy. "I'm sure you'll do great, Kagome. However, we must go now. We'll only be gone for a couple of days knowing the way Gaara works."

Kagome smiled, "It will take us longer, but I promise to come back in one piece, Temari. I'm even going to take some of the sand with me in case I can't get myself out of anything. Rai-sensei said that it would be for the best since it's the only thing I've nearly mastered."

Temari placed her hand on Kagome's shoulder. "Don't worry, Kagome. I'm sure that sooner or later you'll find something else you're good at."

Kagome smiled, nodding.

Gaara turned his head, before saying, "Lets go." He glanced quickly to the twelve-year-old, watching as she waved, before the sand around her feet suddenly shifted, lifting her and pulling her back toward the village. His eyes narrowed once more at her suddenly interest in the sand and wondered why it was the only thing she could actually do. Why was it that the only jutsu she could do was sand manipulation?

**END FLASHBACK**

_I remember her eyes… the way she continued to gaze at me. I wonder if that is love, for no one has ever given me such an emotion. Perhaps she is merely trying to control the demon inside of me, though, because she's so obsessed with her jutsu. Within the time that she left and the time she returned her jutsu had gotten much better, her stance became stronger, her chakra increased, but her eyes never changed. No… but I fear that they might…_

**FLASHBACK**

"I already told you Kankurou," Temari growled, "I'm not leaving until Kagome comes back. She said that she'd be back by today! She'll be back. She never lies."

"Well, this is boring," he rolled his eyes. "I still don't understand why you drug us all down here just to wait for some girl. Have you actually watched her train, Temari? The girl can't get a single thing right, and she continues to constantly ignore the fact that those around her," he cast a small glance at Gaara, "might not be interested in her affections.

"Yes, it is quite annoying," Gaara, said. They turned to him in surprise at the fact that he'd agreed with Kankurou, before turning back to the path before them. The wind picked up suddenly, before they saw a jounin off in the distance, three smaller forms walking in front of them. The sand picked up off the ground, blowing around them before one of the figures seemed to disappear… and suddenly it burst close to Temari, Kagome standing there, no longer smiling.

"Kagome!" they heard from the distance, "THAT'S NOT FAIR! WHEN I ASKED YOU FOR A RACE I DIDN'T MEAN FOR YOU TO PULL A CHEAP TRICK LIKE THAT!"

She snorted, turning her eyes toward the others in the distance. The wind seemed to carry her voice as she said, "You never said there were any rules when you issued the challenge. Perhaps you will learn to be more precise the next time, Seiichi."

"YOU KNOW I MEANT THERE WERE RULES, AND YOU KNOW IT, KAGOME! IT'S NOT FAIR THAT YOU KEEP USING THAT BLASTED TRICK AGAINST ME!"

"What's the point of having something I can do and not use it?" Kagome shook her head, before turning to Temari. "Konnichiwa, Temari."

"K-Kagome," Temari blinked. The girl looked the same, but she was standing straighter, and there was a small scratch across her cheek. She seemed to have no other wounds, and she asked, "Did everything go as planned, Kagome?"

"Yes," Kagome nodded. She smiled suddenly, the emotion almost looking fake upon her face. "We ran into a few jounin during the way but they were no match for us." Her smile brightened, "It was too bad they caught us while we were still inside the sand region. They might have stood a chance otherwise."

_She's changed. What happened during their mission that she suddenly grew up?_ Gaara wondered. He turned his face away, watching the others come into view, before Rai yelled out that Kagome's training began early the next morning, to which her hand merely waved into the air. From the look of the others, as they stared at Kagome, something had happened. Something that would probably never be mentioned, though he wished to know what it was for some odd reason; it felt almost like when he thought his uncle actually cared for him. That, of course, was before the bastard came after him upon the orders of his father, and he killed him.

"You killed them, huh?" Kankurou asked. He watched Gaara seemed to tense at the thought, obviously wishing to use his logic to make himself feel human once more. Gaara was a demon; exactly what their father had tried to make him by placing the sand demon inside his body.

Kagome's eyes suddenly changed, her body tensing. "No! Rai-sensei snapped at me afterward, but I didn't kill them! I-I couldn't do it. I wasn't able to… and I just couldn't bring myself to spill anyone elses blood. Maybe if I had to, but they went running before I could do anything more than breaking a few bones, twisting a few limbs." Her eyes turned downward, a tear streaking down her face. "I'm such a terrible shinobi."

Temari's hand settled upon Kagome's shoulder, before she smiled herself. "Don't worry about it, Kagome. You shouldn't have to kill if you don't have to. Its not that you're a bad shinobi, its that you have a good heart."

"Thank you, Temari," Kagome smiled. Her stance changed back to the one she'd had when she returned to the village, before she blinked. Her eyes seemed to change a little, flickering, before Gaara felt the spike in her chakra once more. The girl had never been able to control the chakra she controlled, and that was why she couldn't control the sand the way she had wanted to when she first began asking him how he'd done it, he hadn't answered, deeming the questions annoying. "I've been practicing a lot, and I don't think that I'll need to try so hard to keep up with the others anymore."

"That's wonderful, but you should always remember to try your best, Kagome," Temari reminded her. She watched as the girl turned to Gaara, walking toward him, and she blinked in surprise. She'd always noticed the blushes and small giggles that Kagome would give whenever Gaara spoke to her, and how she was always casting small glances toward him, but she'd never seen Kagome outright approach her brother. Even Kankurou seemed to be surprised when Kagome greeted Gaara, asking him if he'd once again made it back without any marks since his sand protected him so well.

"I would not be wounded so easily," Gaara said. His green eyes bore into her own, and he noticed that that girly happiness was still within them when he spoke. He had to wonder if she truly saw him as Gaara of the Desert, or as the monster experiment of his father. It wouldn't surprise him if she did, since everyone and everything was frightened of him because of his unstableness as his father always mentioned.

"That's true. The sand protects you after all. Its almost like it loves you," she laughed. Gaara turned his eyes toward her, wondering if what she said was true. No one had ever loved him. No one. Was it that the sand loved him and his demon side? Was that why it protected him of its own accord, instead of him having to use a jutsu similar to hers in order to control it?

**END FLASHBACK**

_She asked me for friendship, though I know she wants more from me. No one had ever wished to become my friend, or be near me unless they had to be. The strange feeling that rushes through me while thinking of her is unnatural for me. Could it be that I'm beginning to feel the same? Is that why I promised her I'd return, no matter what? Is that why I made myself promise her…?_

**FLASHBACK**

She sat beside him outside the village; one of her legs placed underneath her other while her knee was bent upward toward the air. Her hands were placed upon her knee, before she turned her eyes toward him. Gaara ignored her for the moment, his mind of his A-rank mission that he and his squad were going to be sent on. However, he glanced at her from the corner of his eye when he heard her say, "I heard from Temari that you were going to go to the chuunin exams in Konoha, Gaara."

"Does that make it your business?" he asked. He remained bored, before he watched her frown. The girl wrapped her arms around her knees, before she turned her attention completely toward him. However, he noticed that her headband was held loosely in her hand before she dropped it into the sand, suddenly twisting her fingers before the sand moved to make itself into the same shape as her headband, before she seemed to become bored.

"…No, I guess not," Kagome, replied. "I just wanted to tell you that I'd wait until you return. I-I wanted to… um…" she pulled out a red cloth, "give you this before you left. It-it will remind you that there's someone waiting for you at home so that you have something to look forward to when you return back to the village. I know it might not seem like much to you, Gaara, but it's a symbol of my friendship and I would be happy to share it with you if you'll let me." She held the cloth out to him, a dark blush staining her cheeks, before she lowered her eyes, gazing up at him from the top of her eyes.

He eyed the piece of cloth, before asking, "What do you expect me to do with this?"

"You-you don't need to do anything with it, Gaara!" she gulped. "I just want you to keep it. You don't have to wear it or anything, or you could simply toss it if you don't want to keep it… I guess." Her eyes became sad. "This was my mother's. She-she wasn't able to handle the birthing and died when I was born. It's the only thing I have now living with my father… though I barely call him thus."

Gaara watched as she stood, before she leaned over to grab her headband. "I'm sorry to have wasted your time, Gaara, forgive me," he heard. However he turned his eyes until he sensed she was completely gone, before turning his eyes to the thin piece of cloth that she'd left in the sand, his name written above it. He didn't know why, but he grabbed the piece of cloth, and gently ran his fingers over it, before standing. The cloth hung from his fingers before he tucked it into his clothing.

Gaara shifted his body before he began walking toward the village once more. Almost as soon as he entered he saw Temari holding Kagome by the front of her shirt, bringing the girl closer to her. He watched the girl struggle a little, obviously wondering why Temari was handling her in such a way, but he understood when he heard his sister begin to speak. He understood all too well.

"Kagome, what do you think you're doing?"

"I-I was only trying to gain Gaara's friendship!" Kagome hissed. "I-I **love** Gaara, but I know that he would never feel the same for me. I have to accept his friendship if not anything else."

"Kagome," Temari snapped. "Gaara has never felt love, or any other emotion before! He'll never love you, and I doubt if he will ever give you his friendship, since he's made a vow to never get close to anyone else since he killed our uncle. He, or his demon, will rip you apart before you can say anything and then what? What will you do when the person you've wrongfully fallen in love with cuts you down?"

"I trust Gaara to do the right thing," Kagome snapped. Her hand suddenly came up her chest and knocked Temari's hand away from her, her grasp loosening before she stepped backward. "I trust Gaara and I trust his demon. I believe that if he would truly love someone then he would not harm that person. I believe that his demon wouldn't hurt that person either! I don't care what Gaara is as long as he is himself, Temari!"

"I want to hear you say that when he pulls a sand coffin on you and then crushes you with his sand burial attack," Temari snarled. "Then I want to hear about how much you love him."

"I will love Gaara in this life and the next!"

"You don't love anyone, Kagome!" Temari's fist clenched. "You just believe you do! That father of yours has sucked the love from your body and now you're trying to obtain it by loving those around you, even though it's only a false love. That's why you keep getting stronger each time you come back from a mission, isn't it? That stupid Rai has been ordered by your father to train you until you drop, which is why you chose to go after Gaara's sand techniques. You saw the way it protected him and you want it to protect you!"

"You're wrong, Temari!"

There was a crack in the air, before Kagome was suddenly sprawled on the ground. She glanced up to find Temari standing over her, before she suddenly shrank away. Her fear caused a reaction from the boy standing not far away, and for some reason the sand around him suddenly jumped into action, hiding the girl from Temari's sight before moving her to another place. Gaara watched as Temari turned her eyes toward him, and saw them narrow, obviously trying to figure out whether it was him or Kagome that controlled the sand at that moment.

Once he found her again she wished him farewell and he did not see her until the day he left. She'd smiled when she noticed that the cloth she'd given him was wrapped around his arm, but she stayed in the shadows until they left, Gaara feeling her eyes watching him every step of the way.

_I promise to return… I know not why, but I promise to return…_

**END FLASHBACK**

"I will not lose," he whispered. "I promised, and I will not give up that promise for someone like you." These were his last words as the nine-tailed fox turned his attention toward him. The sand jumped to life, but the fox boy was faster, his fist slamming against his forehead, and before Gaara knew it, they were running away from Konoha, returning to their village.

After a few days they and their sensei stumbled back into the village, all of them worse for wear after meeting the ones that had stood a chance of beating them. It was almost shameful that all three of children the Kazekage had sired losing to pitiful genin not even more than a year into their training before they went to the chuunin exams. They'd failed their mission, yes, but they were proud to say that even though that was true they had returned to the village in mostly one piece.

Gaara gripped his arm, the cloth underneath his fingers reminding him that he'd promised to return. He'd returned. His chakra was extremely low, and he coughed, shaking off the need for sleep. He would not sleep, no. The demon inside his body took over then and he would not allow that to happen. Not now.

"Gaara! Temari! Kankurou, you've returned!" came a voice. They turned their eyes to find the sand twisting and creating designs for the girl not far off. She hadn't approached them, but was standing off to the side, the sand turning to stone as she moved forward a few steps. "I was beginning to wonder when you were going to return." She smiled upon seeing the cloth around Gaara's arm, before looking toward the others.

"Yeah," Kankurou snorted, "but we got our butts kicked."

Kagome shook her head, "I can see that."

Should he…? No, no, she was probably like all the others. She merely wanted to control him, for him to do, as she wanted. Why did his heart, or what he believed to be his heart, tell him otherwise? Why did he suddenly feel this, when he'd never felt anything of the sort in years? Why…?

"We'll be fine, though," Temari said. "We just need to heal for a few days, and we should be back in shape to begin training once more."

Kagome ignored her. She turned her attention to the boy with rings of black around his green eyes, his red hair bright in the sunlight, while his brown clothing seemed dull against his lightly tanned skin. She'd made her decision, and she stepped toward the older shinobi, before biting the inside of her lip. "I'm happy to see you've returned safely, Gaara. I-I-I…"

"Hm?" passed from his lips.

"I know," was the beginning of the end for her, and Temari turned her eyes away from the sight, "that you might not care, or you might even shun me but-but I… Gaara, I-I _really_ like you. I-I think I love you." Temari watched as the girl lowered her eyes, poking her fingers together as she said this. She'd heard Gaara muttering about a promise, but she never expected Gaara to stumble toward the twelve-year-old.

"How do I know you're not lying," Gaara asked?

Kagome's eyes rose to meet his. "I wouldn't lie, Gaara! I wouldn't, I swear! I don't have anyway for you to prove that I actually love you, but I… I wish that you'd consider my feelings. They might not mean that much to you, but I know what its like to have my heart broken and… and I feel that you wouldn't break my heart, Gaara. I believe that is why I've fallen in love with the sand the way I have…"

Temari closed her eyes, not wishing to see the girl suddenly ripped apart. What she didn't expect was to hear Gaara whisper that he would consider her feelings as long as she never lied to him, and accepted him the way he was. Temari lifted her eyes to watch as Kagome's smile brightened completely once again, before she flung her arms around Gaara's neck, and she watched as the demon experiment flinched a bit. However, she watched as Kagome went to kiss Gaara's cheek, only for the boy to shift his head and their lips to connect.

She was amazed that Gaara was expressing his feelings in such a way, and she knew that it was the beginning of anew for Kagome. Something told her that they'd be happy, though. At least happy enough to stay together. And to think it was all because of a promise Gaara had made to himself… or so she believed now.

_--Fin_


	5. Stolen Hearts: Hatake Kakashi

**_Title: _**_Stolen Hearts _

**_Summary: _**_Somehow she just stole his heart right out from under his nose. And all because he bumped into her while she was reading the book he favored, "Come Come __Paradise__!"_

**Pairing: **Kakashi/Kagome

**Anime: **Naruto/Inuyasha

* * *

He sighed, continuing to walk forward as he remembered the genin squad he'd been placed with. Team Seven, which consisted of Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto. It was just ironic that he got stuck with the final Uchiha within the Hidden Leaf Village, a girl who was better with knowledge than her own jutsu, and the village's own number one hyperactive, knucklehead shinobi. The squads' did need to be evenly matched to begin with, though, and he couldn't exactly complain could he.

Sighing, Kakashi tucked his book away, before beginning to cross the bridge, knowing that he needed to go test his squad soon. Not that it mattered, they usually worked better whenever the frustration rose and he merely read his book again while they fumed over the fact that he told them he'd be there but didn't show up on time. It was like his own way of saying he cared. He was sure that his squad wouldn't see it that way, though, and he sighed, closing his visible eye for a few moments.

Kakashi stopped when he bumped into someone, before hearing a soft feminine voice gasp. Blinked in surprise he looked down to find another jounin staring up at him in embarrassment, before she pulled herself to her feet. He watched as she brushed herself off, the book in her hand waving about as he stared. "Oh," he finally said, "I apologize. I should have been paying more attention to what I was doing."

"Oh," she stopped, her body straightening, before she flipped the page in her book. "Its quite alright. I wasn't exactly paying much attention either, actually."

He stared at the book in her hands, the title glaring up at him as he touched the one inside his clothing, knowing that it was the exact book. She seemed to go back to reading, before he smiled, "I believe that makes us both at fault and innocent then." He watched as her eyes shifted from the book before their deep blue depths stared up at him, her lips turning into a smile.

"Yes, I believe it does," she replied. She seemed to realize something, before she looked behind him, smiling again. Her eyes rolled before he heard the voices of three genin behind him, all of them calling out to the woman before him. Kakashi didn't hear her name, but he listened as the genin asked her where she'd been, before she replied that she'd simply lost track of time and forgot all about their training session. After she had told them this Kakashi watched her turned back to him, blushing all of a sudden. "Please excuse my rudeness," she bowed, "I am Higurashi Kagome."

Kakashi smiled again, "Don't worry about it." He dipped his head, "Hatake Kakashi."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kakashi," she said.

"Kagome-sensei," he heard a girl whine. "You always lose track of time. Sometimes I just want to rip that stupid 'Come Come Paradise' book you have to pieces! I've seen you read it over twenty-five times already since the beginning of the month."

Kagome tensed, "I beg the differ, Akako. This book is a fine piece of literature. If you had any taste then you'd understand that." She stuck her nose into the air, before giving her squad a small glance, deeming them unworthy of a further explanation.

Kakashi turned to find two kunoichi and one bored looking boy staring toward them. He listened as the boy muttered to himself about girls and their stupid habits, tastes, and many other things that they enjoyed before smiling. The boy seemed to sense that he was staring at him because he turned his head to glare at him, before turning his head away, his muttered words dying on the wind.

"Can't we just go to the training grounds now?" the other girl asked. "Its pointless to try and change Kagome-sensei's mind about her book. After all, you're obsessed with your clothing, aren't you Akako?"

"No!" Akako whined. "I'm not obsessed with anything, Gin!"

"You could have fooled anyone," the boy spoke up, his rich tone bored and sarcastic. He rolled his eyes, before turning completely to the kunoichi. "Besides, your pitiful excuse is boring and unneeded since we all know that you wear a different outfit everyday. Don't try to say you don't, Akako, I pay attention to more than simply Kagome-sensei's lectures."

"Shut up, Yasuo," she snapped, "this doesn't involve you!"

Kagome's eye twitched, before she apologized for her students' rudeness to Kakashi, before turning her burning eyes toward them. They seemed to shrink away, as she said, "Quiet! This is neither the time nor the place to be bickering like meaningless children over nothing. Have you learned nothing about being a shinobi, or should I start from the beginning from now on and see if a second time of it being pounded into your brains will make you understand!" Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her book hung loosely on her fingers, as the genin bowed to her, apologizing for their behavior.

After they apologized she turned back to Kakashi, giving him a warm smile. "I believe that I must go now, Kakashi." She waved her book a little, "I do hope that we meet again sometime, but these genin get quite annoyed when I don't show up on time and then they do not pay attention to anything that I say." She bowed, and turned from the other jounin, before telling her squad that it was time to go and to get their butts in gear.

Kakashi nodded, "Yes, I must be off as well. I'm sure that my new squad is fuming from their ears." He stopped his feet from moving with her next words, however, something seeming to pound in his chest once he heard it. He was pretty sure it wasn't his heart.

"We all get lost on the road of life sometimes," Kagome said. "These genin will have to learn that we will not always be there when we're expected. Life does not give us that luxury most of the time."

Trying to stop his pounding heart, Kakashi stopped himself from blushing like a crushing teen when he saw her bright, radiant smile. "No, life is not so forgiving." He watched as she turned away with her team, before he shook his head. His glanced up, his only visible eye taking in her swaying clothing as she moved away, before she began to run, shouting that they'd begin training as soon as her squad caught her, before he heard the three genin groan.

When she was out of sight, Kakashi asked himself what had come over him, before he shook his head again. Sighing to himself, he remembered the book he'd tucked away, before he went to pull it out. Once he did he gazed at the cover, remembering the book was the same one that Kagome had been carrying and reading, and he stared at the ground from the strange feeling that he got when he thought about it. He hadn't seen many other jounin his age that enjoyed the book, but from listening to the Akako girl in her group he could tell she liked it, and he told himself that he'd talk to her again, and hoped it would be soon.

* * *

They ended their day later on, Kakashi deeming them worthy enough to become his squad. Not that he'd been paying much attention to them until Sasuke shared his food with Naruto. He'd mostly been staring at the pages of his book as if they were blank while dodging their grabbing hands as they went after the bells he'd attached to his waist. He'd known that they were coming at him, and he knew that he'd either blocked the attack or dodge away from them, but his mind continued to bring back Kagome's face, her words ringing throughout his head all the while.

"So, why was it that you were so late, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, staring up at the jounin. He looked as if he were reading his favored book once more, but she noticed his eyes had a far away look, almost like he wasn't completely with them, and this was confirmed when his head snapped up, a 'hm' coming from his lips. "I asked you why you were late for training, Kakashi-sensei."

"Oh," Kakashi flipped a page in his book, "I merely got lost on the road of life."

"That's not even an answer and you know it," Naruto snorted.

"If you must know," Kakashi sighed. "I bumped into another jounin on the bridge coming this way…"

"Kakashi!"

They looked up to find a black haired woman walking toward them. Her eyes were friendly, and her own team of three dragged themselves behind her, obviously worked harder than normal for some reason. The three genin glared at Kakashi, while Kakashi's team blinked in surprise. All of them listened as she said, "It is quite unusual for life to be this generous to me."

Kakashi blinked, "Kagome."

"Kagome-sensei!" Akako whined.

"Hm?" she said, turning back to the kunoichi.

"My legs feel like they're going to fall off!"

"Baby," Yasuo hissed under his breath. He was also dragging himself along, but he refused to say anything about it, since he was supposed to be the strongest of their group, yet it was Gin who skipped along as if nothing had happened at all. He could tell that she was exhausted, though, but it was simply her nature to seem carefree and full of life.

"That's your own fault for being rude this morning," Kagome said, shaking her head. "Now, Akako, apologize to Team Seven. You are being rude once more, and it is not in your best interest to show weakness to your possibly enemy."

"But—"

"Now, Akako!"

Akako lowered her eyes, dipping her head. "Please excuse my rudeness. I apologize for this."

Sasuke turned his head to listen as Naruto asked Sakura whom the jounin was, before he heard her say she didn't know. He knew, he'd had the pleasure of running into that damn Yasuo one day, only for Kagome to show up and stop their fighting, deeming it childish and unnecessary. After listening to Kakashi all day he realized that they were actually much alike.

"Hey," Naruto whispered, "do you think she's Kakashi-sensei's girlfriend or something?"

"I don't know, Naruto," Sakura snapped.

Kagome nodded, before turning her eyes back to the masked man. "It is nice to see you once again, Kakashi. I did not expect for our next meeting to be so soon, but life has its moments."

Naruto gave a confused look, "Why does she keep talking about life?"

"I. Don't. Know. Naruto," Sakura hissed.

Naruto turned away from her, sticking his nose into the air, "Well, you're not very helpful."

Sakura slammed her fist over his head, "What is that supposed mean?" She turned away from the boy now holding his head, before seeing that the girl named Akako was giggling from her actions. She blushed, ducking her head away from the amusement of another kunoichi, since she hadn't meant to actually hit Naruto.

Yasuo rolled his eyes, having heard what had been said. "I believe he meant exactly what he said. And to answer his question Kagome-sensei is in love with her stupid book more than anything else, so no they're not a couple. Besides," his eyes became hard, "Kagome-sensei isn't the type to fall head over heels for someone who knocked her to the ground."

Gin sighed, before hitting Yasuo in the back of the head. She knew that the thirteen-year-old genin had feelings for some odd reason for their sensei, but she also knew that he shouldn't. Besides, he was going to be hers when they were older, since Kagome would probably have already found someone by then. "Knock it off, Yasuo. You know for a fact that Kagome-sensei wouldn't have fallen over if she hadn't been reading her book. She's a lot better shinobi than anyone else in the village for her age; she wouldn't have even been scratched if she'd pull her head out of that book once in a while."

Akako flinched when she touched a sore spot on her arm. "If I remember correctly Kagome-sensei was reading her book while we trained and we still didn't touch her. So it doesn't really matter if she's reading her 'Come Come Paradise' book or not, she's still a lot more skilled than we are."

Gin shook her head, "No one asked, Akako."

"And no one said I couldn't have an opinion either, Gin!" Akako hissed.

Kagome sighed once again, listening as they began arguing over that fact. "I must apologize to you once more, Kakashi. They have never gotten along, and I would also be frightened if they suddenly did." She turned her eyes toward them, "But perhaps they would like another session like today tomorrow?"

Sasuke watched as the squad suddenly stilled, each one of them straightening as they shut their mouths and stood there. "Dorks," he said.

"Look who's talking," Yasuo snapped. "The little boy who cried after his brother went nuts and destroyed his family." Yasuo felt the air leave his lungs as he suddenly hit the ground, his body rolling over before he saw Kagome standing over him. He cringed, turning his eyes away while trying to bring air back into his lungs.

"Don't ever go after another shinobi's deceased family while in my presence, Yasuo," Kagome said. She pulled a kunai from the pouch attached to her thigh, before turning from him. "Should you rise from that position, Yasuo, I shall hurt you. I do not want to hear your mouth again, do you understand?" she watched him nod, before turning back to Kakashi.

Kakashi smiled, "They might not get along, but you put them in their places well enough." His heart was thumping once more, and he never saw the blush that spread across the woman's face when he closed his eyes. He also didn't know that her heart was thumping also as loud as his own.

"Cool," Sakura said.

Naruto nodded in agreement. "That was awesome. She showed him, alright."

Sasuke turned to them, "She's also a lot more skilled than he is. That might be because she has years of experience on her belt while he's still learning." He was shaking on the inside from the words of that blasted Yasuo, though, and he glared at the ground afterward, kicking at the dirt beneath his shoes.

"Yes," Kagome agreed. "I must do that often enough. Akako and Gin fight often, and Yasuo just cannot seem to keep his mouth shut when he should. Their skills work well together, almost like they were meant to work as one, but it does not happen until I stick my nose into their business and pound it into their minds that they should be serious at certain moments and childish during others."

"From what I see you handle them quite well," Kakashi replied.

Kagome smiled. "Thank you." She turned her head, "We were going to go to Ichiraku Ramen… would you and your squad like to join us, Kakashi? My treat."

"Ramen!" Naruto shouted.

"Loser," Sasuke said, though he agreed that he was quite hungry. Who was he to pass up a free meal?

"That sounds great," Sakura and Gin said at the same time, before glaring at one another.

Yasuo almost shot up from his spot to glare at the male jounin but held himself in place upon seeing the kunai in Kagome's hand. He had a pretty nasty cut on his arm from the last time he'd gone against her commands. So, he glared toward the sky, his body tensing as he thought about anyone touching his favorite sensei.

Akako stayed quiet, knowing already that Kagome had planned to take them.

Kakashi smiled, "It does sound like a wonderful idea, thank you, Kagome."

"Its no problem, really," Kagome blushed.

From that moment on it became like tradition for them to meet at that spot and go to Ichiraku Ramen afterward, and the two jounin seemed to grow closer each and every time, but only everyone else but them seemed to notice it. A couple of the genin thought it was cute, while some merely ignored it, and one all together hated the idea, but the two jounin never noticed that either.

* * *

"Oh, you enjoyed the book as well?" Kagome smiled.

"Yes," Kakashi nodded. "I have read it many times, but I can never seem to put it down."

Kagome's eyes stared up at him, a light shining behind them. "Strange," she muttered, "I've never been able to put it down either since I first read it."

"What was that?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," she laughed.

Gin and Akako were once again arguing over something in the background, but Kagome didn't seem to notice. She heard Yasuo say something rude, before Sasuke slammed his fist against the counter, but she didn't notice. She heard Naruto make a comment about him becoming Hokage one day, but it slipped passed her, and she also heard Sakura whisper something that she completely missed. She merely stared up at Kakashi, her smile brightening when she saw his own.

Kakashi dipped his head, before saying, "I very much enjoyed this time with you, Kagome. I… I would very much like to take you somewhere without our squads one of these days. Perhaps then we would not have to listen to them bicker amongst themselves."

"Yes," Kagome smiled. "It would be very nice."

Yasuo slammed his bowl down, the taste lingering on his tongue as he heard this. There was no way he was going to allow Kagome to go on a date with that damn Kakashi, but Sasuke pulled his attention away from them as Kakashi laid his hand on top of Kagome's.

Kagome glanced up; a light blush rising to her cheeks when she realized his hand was on hers. However, when his covered lips came into contact with hers and she gasped, blinking in surprise before pressing against him. Her eyes closed. When he pulled away she blushed deeper, hearing him say something, before she touched her lips with her fingertips. "I-I…" she smiled, "I would very much like to try that again, Kakashi."

Kakashi blinked in surprise.

She touched his mask, never noticing that the genin were staring at them in shock. "Without this, of course," she said. She knew that no one had seen his face completely since the time that he'd been given another eye by a male of Uchiha blood, but she hoped he'd trust her enough to allow her to see.

Kakashi smirked, "I would like that as well, Kagome." He stared into her eyes before turning to see the genin staring at them, and shook his head. He smiled after the girls' blushed, Yasuo looked murderous, and the other boys simply turned away in embarrassment. He wasn't ashamed, though. Kagome had stolen his heart, and she could have stolen any number of hearts that he wouldn't have known about, but he was glad that she'd chosen his to share hers with. Even if it was only for the next couple of weeks, or until they died. He'd be happy to have his heart stolen by her either way.

_--Fin_


	6. Teach Me: Toya Akira

**_Title:_**_ Teach Me _

**_Summary:_**_ She was new, but she wanted to make her deceased grandfather proud and she began taking lessons with a boy around her age. She didn't expect to end up falling in love along with it. _

**Pairing:** Akira/Kagome

**Manga:** Hikaru no Go/Inuyasha

* * *

Sighing, the almost thirteen-year-old walked down the streets of her hometown in Nihon. Her sorrow for losing her grandfather was weighing heavily on her shoulders, but her mind was set on one thing and one thing only. She wanted to learn how to play the game her grandfather had wanted to teach her, Go. She knew how to play shogi, but her grandfather had wanted to teach her Go so that she could understand the reason why he loved the game so much, and why he'd became a pro long ago, but never tried to do much else because he simply wished to play. He was gone now, and she didn't have anyone at her school that could teach her; she'd heard that some schools even had a Go club, but hers didn't and it had disappointed her to this.

Shifting the bag higher onto her arm, the girl lifted her eyes so that she could see the signs of the many different stores and other places. In her daze she barely noticed the place that she suddenly stopped in front of, her face turning into a smile as she looked up at the words, 'Go Salon'. She took a step forward, before sighing to herself, looking back down at the bag she was carrying. "Mom will want this," she muttered, "I'd better take it home before I do anything else." Her face turned into a deeper frown, before she said, "Then again—no, I'll just come back tomorrow."

She smiled to herself, turning from the place, before picking up her feet in order to begin jogging, instead of dragging her feet along like she had been. She had something to look forward to, since the sun was beginning to sink beneath the western horizon and she knew for a fact her mother wouldn't let her out for long after dark. Besides, from glancing at the schedule on the glass door it had said that the place closed an hour later, and would reopen at ten in the morning.

Giddy with happiness the girl dressed in black began moving home. She would be able to learn how to play the game that her grandfather had wanted her to, and she'd be able to play often since it was summer. She'd always wondered why her grandfather had such a passion for a game that was so old, but tomorrow she would start learning why. She just hoped that there was someone who'd be able to teach her—hopefully around her age, though she didn't mind elders—since she truly wanted to. Maybe she could even follow in her grandfather's footsteps one day!

Higurashi Kagome smiled, continuing to jog, before bringing herself into a run. Her feet felt almost like they were floating across the ground while the bag she carried thumped against her stomach as she stopped at street crossings, and raced passed alleyways, before she finally came upon the steps to the Sunset Shrine, another one of the many things that her grandfather had put all his heart and soul into. It would be one of the many other things that she would do in order to make his spirit proud of her, since she did look the shrine—it was the place she'd grew up at, after all.

Rounding that corner, Kagome bound up the steps, her feet taking each one in stride. She'd gone up and down them so many times that she could easily take them without trouble, and once she reached the top she raced across the cobblestone. From her position she could easily see the old well house, the ancient tree known as the Goshinbuko, the roof to the house, and the small gift shop that her grandfather had run. Every Wednesday she dressed up in miko garbs and ran the shop, but she felt that she would probably run it everyday that her grandfather had, which was four days out of every week.

She went around another corner; one that looked like it wasn't there because of the rose bushes that her mother had planted some time ago, before rushing up to the house. Once there she quickly slipped out of her shoes and placed them beside the others, before twisting the doorknob and going inside. Once inside she quickly moved into the kitchen and placed the bag onto the counter, before rushing to go back to the hallway and begin moving up the stairs.

"Kagome!"

Turning, Kagome looked around, before yelling, "Yes, mom?"

Mrs. Higurashi appeared in the hallway, before smiling at her daughter. Her short black hair bounced as she moved toward her, before asking, "What took you so long, Kagome? You were gone for quite some time. I know that you wouldn't do anything that I wouldn't do, but sometimes I worry what others might pressure you and Souta into doing."

Kagome laughed. "Oh, I just stopped outside of a small shop in order to look at a few things. Then I stopped to look at a Go Salon that in the middle of town."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled brighter. "You're planning to learn how to play Go?"

"Yes," Kagome said. "Grandpa wanted to teach me but I was always in school during the time when he first tried. I really didn't pay that much attention whenever he did tell me something, and I sort of wanted to learn now that he's gone." She lowered her eyes, a tear streaking down her cheek. She choked down a sob, "I-I-I really wish that I had paid attention to him."

Her mother sighed sadly, "We all have things that we should have done, Kagome. Don't feel bad ashamed that you didn't realize just how precious your time with him was." She moved up the stairs to her daughter's side, before lifting her hand to stroke her cheek. "Even I wish I had spent more time with him."

Kagome nodded, "Thanks mom."

* * *

Her dark clothing was hot against her skin as she walked back toward the Go Salon she'd seen the day before. Her tiger striped skirt swayed as she walked, before she came upon the street she wanted, the book was carrying in her hands, before she flipped a page. It was very interesting, and it was fun to learn something, even though she wished it were her grandfather who was teaching it to her, instead of a book at the moment. Reading the small note on the side of the page she smiled, "Hey, I can play Go on the Internet! Yay!" She sighed then, "I'll probably be beat by everyone. I have no idea how to play this game…"

Closing her eyes, Kagome allowed the book to drop until her arms were merely infront of her body. She knew she was close to the Go Salon, and she continued to move forward before she accidentally ran into someone. Stopping, Kagome suddenly brought her hands up in defense, "Oh, I'm so sorry!" She looked up to find a tall man staring down at her; before she remembered the game of Go her grandfather had been watching a week before his death.

"No harm done," the man said, his face seeming grim while he stared down at her.

She gasped, "You're Toya Meijin!"

He nodded, "Yes." He glanced down at her black clothing, before asking, "And you are?"

"Oh," Kagome bowed suddenly. "I'm so sorry. My name is Higurashi Kagome, sir."

He merely continued to stare, before saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Higurashi. However, I must be on my way."

"Yes," she nodded, "I understand. Please do not let me stand in your way." She stepped to the side, the book she was holding held tightly in her hand as she noticed he was staring at it. She blushed, knowing that this was one of Nihon's best Go players and she was merely a beginner. The only thing she'd actually understood when her grandfather tried to teach her a little was how to choose for color, and komi which gave white 5½ points at the end of the game, but other than that she knew nothing. **Nothing**; at least nothing that would be considered important while playing a game.

She watched him go, before she gulped. After watching him for a moment, however, she shook her head and turned to the Go Salon. Her feet moved, bringing her closer to the door, before she finally pushed it open, the glass cool against her fingers. Once inside she noticed that there were tables of people, mostly older people, playing on what her grandfather had called 19 by 19 point Go board. There was a desk with a smiling young woman leaning against it when the bell above her rang, before she stepped forward.

"Hello there," the woman said. Her light brown hair tilted to the side as she pointed to a clipboard on the desk. "You write your name down here," she said, before smiling brighter. "Are you new here?"

"Yes," Kagome said, clasping her hands around the book she held. She placed the book on the desk before writing her name down, signing where she was told to, before saying, "My grandfather wanted to teach me how to play… but he died before I could understand just how much he wanted to teach me. I was hoping to find someone who would teach me here… that's alright, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes," the woman said. "Anyone is welcome here. You'll just need to pay 500 yen; that's the price for youths." She gave a sad look when she heard that the girl's grandfather had died, and told her that she hoped his spirit rested in peace, before waiting for her to pay.

Kagome nodded, before pulling out the wallet that she carried. The pockets in her skirt weren't visible, but they were there and they were quite large. She pulled out the money, before handing it to the woman, and smiling once more. Once she'd paid she walked passed her, having picked up her book once more, before looking around at all the games. She knew that you should be quiet whenever you played any board game such as these, and kept her lips sealed as she moved around gazing at the different boards and watching as they played with each other. However, it was the only younger boy that caught her attention, as he played with an older male, and she was almost giddy to know that there was a person her age there.

She stood behind him, watching with interest as he placed stone after stone down. She noticed that you couldn't lift a stone once it was placed, and she forced herself to remember this while watching, before trying to understand his moves and how he captured his opponent's stones. She didn't understand some of the moves, and she sighed, lowering her head while the game continued, "I'll never understand this game."

The two players glanced up at her, and she quickly shut her mouth, bowing it in apology. However, she blushed when she heard the older man laugh, while the young man around her age merely smiled at her. Her blush became darker, and she quickly whispered, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Its fine," the boy said. "Would you like to watch? Maybe that will help you understand better. Have you ever played before?" He turned back to the board, before pulling the seat next to him out, nodding for her to sit down. He waited until she had, before asking his question again.

"No," Kagome blushed. "I'm trying to learn, but I've never played against another person." She sighed, her shoulders slumping, "I barely understand anything about this game."

It was the older man who replied, placing a stone onto the board, "It takes lots of practice and hard work in order to completely understand anything. Akira-sensei here has been playing for a very long time, he could easily teach you anything that you wished to know about Go. He's taught me quite a lot, though I still can't play anything other than a teaching game with him. He's a lot better player than I am."

"A… teaching game?" Kagome asked, watching this Akira place another stone onto the board.

"Yes," Akira smiled. "It's a game that neither side is trying to win. The instructor places stones down and tries to make the student play the correct moves. You don't need to speak, since the moves usually do the talking, and it helps another person learn as they go."

"I knew that," Kagome blushed.

Akira laughed. He turned his head as the girl began to watch them play, before asking, "Are you new here? I've never seen you before."

"Yes. My grandfather wanted to teach me how to play Go a long time ago, but at that time I was learning shogi, so he decided to drop it. He tried to start teaching me about two months ago but I never really paid that much attention to him. He died a few days after summer break started and I decided that to honor him I'd play the game he loved so much. I've never actually played, though. I mean, I know a little about the game, but not a lot," Kagome sighed.

"I see," Akira said. "My name is Toya Akira. What is yours?"

"Higurashi Kagome," she replied. Something clicked into her head, before she said, "You're the son of Toya Meijin, aren't you?"

He blushed, nodding. He placed his hand behind his head, before scratching at the back of his dark head of hair. "Yes. How did you know?"

"Oh, well, I ran into him before I came—" Kagome groaned, lowering her head once more. Another dark blush swept across her cheeks, before she saw Akira's own and giggled a little. "I was sort of wondering why he'd been in here, but I guess I know the answer now."

"Toya Meijin comes in at least a few times a week in order to watch Akira-sensei play." The old man smiled, "I bet he's wondering why you haven't taken the pro test yet, Akira-sensei! That's probably why he comes in so much."

"You're going to become a pro one day?" Kagome asked.

"Yes," Akira nodded. "I want to become just as strong a player that my father is." He waited for his opponent to make a move, before placing down another stone. He saw that the girl was staring at his hands, and snapped the stone down. When he glanced back up he saw that her eyes were almost glowing and got the feeling that she might be a very skilled opponent one day if she came to understand Go and learned how to play.

"I want to become as good as my grandfather was," Kagome said. "He was a pro, too. I don't know if he ever played in any really important tournaments, but I want to become a pro if I can ever come to understand Go."

"Well," the old man said. "At least you kids have goals nowadays. All my grandson wishes to do is sit in front of a TV screen and press buttons on that video game system that his mother bought." He sighed, "If only he would have such an interest in Go. I'd be delighted to teach him a thing or two."

Kagome laughed a little, "My brother is the same way."

The old man stood quite suddenly, staring down at the board, before saying, "I believe I've had enough for today, Akira-sensei. I hope to play with you again sometime soon, but I must be off now."

"Yes, of course," Akira smiled, nodding his head in agreement. He cleared the board, before turning his attention to the girl sitting next to him. "Would you like to play? I could play a teaching game with you, or I could teach you how to capture stones and such."

"Yes, I would love to," Kagome nodded. "Um, I was wondering how you snapped the stones down the way you did? It was quite interesting to watch and I'd love to be able to do that as well."

Akira's smile brightened, "Its not that hard. You just hold it between your pliant fingers and release it above the board by snapping it down." He grabbed the bowl of black stones, before saying, "Here, why don't you try?"

"Alright," Kagome said. She picked the stone up, placed it between her fingers and tried to snap it down only for it to fall from between her fingers. She tried again only for it to seem to bounce against the point on the board Akira had pushed toward her and to clatter onto another spot. After a few times of this, she snapped one against the table and watched it suddenly slide across the table and hit another board, only for her to blush. "I suck," she whispered, "I'll never get this right."

Akira laughed, "Its not that hard. Here, watch." He picked another stone up, before holding it above the board and quickly snapping it down, his finger directly in the middle in order to keep it from moving anywhere else. He smiled at her, watching as she tried again, only to fail. "It only takes a bit of practice, but I'm sure that you'll get it in a couple of days, maybe a week at the most.

"Here, why don't we try something else?" He eyed the book she had placed into her lap, before reaching his hand out to grasp it. Once it was within eye level he placed it onto the table, and said, "Why don't we see if you can capture stones in a certain amount of moves?"

"Ok."

Placing the stones down one by one, switching between black and white, Akira looked toward her, before saying, "Here. This one will only capture one stone, but it only takes one move. Now, how would you capture the stone without moving the stone that might be captured."

"Hm," she sighed. "You'd place another white stone here, wouldn't you?" she asked, placing the white stone so that it had four surrounding it. She saw Akira nod, before clapping her hands together. However, she blushed and stopped when he smiled at her, before saying, "It'll get harder though, won't it?"

"Yes," Akira laughed.

They continued this, before finally Kagome stood after glancing at her watch. She smiled at the dark haired boy, before saying, "Thank you, Akira. I would love to learn more tomorrow if you're here, but I must go now. My mother will get quite upset if I'm out for too long."

He nodded, "Yes, I'd be happy to teach you, Kagome."

* * *

Years later Kagome stood behind him as he played, once again, against Shindo Hikaru. She'd entered the Go Salon, having gone there for years and now going on the age of nineteen, and walked over to find that Akira was once again playing against Hikaru, still trying to achieve the 'Divine Move'. It was said that though Toya Meijin had not managed to play the move before his accident that his son, or Shindo Hikaru would be one of the ones to play the move. Now was not the time for memories, though, and she sighed as she watched the game, knowing that though Akira had grown stronger and stronger that Hikaru was just… just… he was one of the greatest Go players of their time, and Akira tried again and again, but she wasn't sure if he'd ever beat Hikaru.

She stood silently, watching the game before Akira placed his head onto his hand when he situated his elbow onto the table. "I resign," she heard him say, before smiling sadly. She heard Hikaru give Akira a compliment about his increasing strength, before he stood and nodded to her, before she watched him leave. After he was gone, though, she moved around the table and sat before the game.

"You lost again, huh, Akira?" she whispered. She watched as his head snapped up to her, before he nodded. "Don't let that get you down, Akira. After all, you beat Hikaru nearly every three out of fives times," she stopped when he raised his hand.

"He holds back whenever I beat him, though," Akira sighed. "No matter what I do he always end up getting to a level beyond mine."

He looked up to her sad smile, before sighing, "That was rude of me. How have you been lately, Kagome?"

Laughing, Kagome replied, "I am fine, Akira. I don't know why you ask me that. You saw me the other day. Besides," her smile changed to a seductive one, "its not like we're away from each other very often, my love."

Akira laughed, "Sometimes I fear it was a mistake to marry you, Kagome."

The golden band on her finger glinted in the lighting, before she giggled, "Well, you're stuck with me now."

Akira eyed her affectionately, "Where did I go wrong, Kagome?"

She smiled brighter, "When you first started teaching me, Akira!"

_--Fin_

* * *

**Kiba's Note:** Ah! I forgot to mention this: 500 yen is around $4.25 in American dollars. I'm not sure what it is now since the price range might have highered or lowered, but it should be around $4.25 if I remember correctly. Sorry about that, I was going to put it after I wrote '500 yen!' 


	7. Planted Paradise: Youko

_**Title: **Planted Paradise_

_**Summary:** She walked into the most beautiful place she'd ever seen, and instantly fell in love. He'd watched her from the shadows, before deeming her worthy to live within his planted paradise._

**Pairing: **Youko/Kagome

**Anime: **YYH/IY

* * *

_Damn Inuyasha and his stupid clay pot whore!_ Kagome wiped another tear from her eye, telling herself that she shouldn't be crying over something so trivial. She'd known all along that Inuyasha would choose Kikyo over her, but her heart had continued to tell her that she loved Inuyasha. Well, she found out it was nothing but a brotherly love and when she told him that he suddenly scowled at her, rushed off, fucked Kikyo in the middle of the forest, and left her to stumble upon them while they were in the act. It wasn't her fault her heart had told her it was time to move on and changed into a more dimmed love for the hanyou, it was his own fault and he would have to accept that if he wished to have her continue her journey with him searching for the Shikon Shards.

Dragging her feet along, she tried to convince herself that she shouldn't be mopping over this, since she **did** tell Inuyasha she only loved him as a brother when he came onto her. It still hurt to know that as soon as she told him that he went off to screw around with a woman that probably moved like melted clay when it came to such _activities_. Not that she knew anything about that, she'd never slept with anyone and she wasn't planning to until she was married, or at least in a serious relationship with a person that loved her. Truly loved her; not that cheap crap that Inuyasha had dished out for years on end.

Kagome nodded stiffly, before clutching her arms in the cold of the winter night. She was wearing jeans and a sweater, but it was still cold at this time of night. She didn't know what time it was exactly—she'd accidentally left her watch, with the light up numbers, in her backpack—so, she was guessing that it was around elven or so, maybe twelve at night, but she wasn't positive. After thinking this over, however, her mind quicky turned back to the reason why she was out in the middle of the forest at this time of night—many terrible youkai could be lurking anywhere around her, not that that mattered much, she would detect them before they got to close. She didn't linger on this for long either, instead thinking, _why is this affecting me so much? I told Inuyasha I think of him as my elder brother… so why do I feel like my heart was ripped out?_

Easy answer: Inuyasha had given her no time to adjust to her new feelings. Yup, because it was either that or she might be trying to tell herself that she didn't love Inuyasha the way she used to and was only lying to herself. She hated lying, so that was instantly ruled out. She couldn't lie to herself as much as she couldn't lie to Sesshoumaru, and he could become a very frightening youkai. She'd had that side of him directed at her a few times, she knew what she was talking about… and she couldn't lie to him, therefore she couldn't lie to herself, she couldn't lie to Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, or anyone else she could think of. Nope, and it was all because she hated liars, she liked honesty; Inuyasha would be thrown into the liars category, but did that mean she hated him?

No, she could never hate Inuyasha, feelings or not.

She'd never hated anyone—except Naraku, he was as evil as anyone could get, so he didn't count, though—and she most certainly couldn't hate Inuyasha. Sighing to herself, Kagome shook her head as she went over this. It was so true, and it seemed to glare at her with bold red letters in the darkness of the sky, while the stars twinkled down at her, each one of them whispering a secret about the universe that mortal ears were never to hear. _Of course I could never hate Inuyasha. He was my first love. Hell, I'd probably forgive Sesshoumaru if he ever did something to prove that he would no longer try to kill me and wanted to be my friend. Fat chance of that happening anytime soon._

Stopping herself from watching any further, Kagome looked to the right and then to the left, her blue eyes blinking in mild panic. She didn't recognize anything. That was not the best of signs, and she gulped at the fact that she'd decided to stomp her foot and run in a random direction after she'd moved away from Kikyo and Inuyasha. _Not the best move, Kagome_, she bit her lip, _ok, what do you normally do in these situations? Gah, I've never been in this type of situation, how am I supposed to know. Well, except that one time… but that was close to the village and I'm sure this isn't close to the village at all._

Breathing through her told she continued to mentally tell herself '_breathe Kagome, breathe_' before taking a step forward. She stepped onto a stick and heard it crack underneath her foot, but even though she should have known it was her that'd caused it, she jumped in fright. She took three steps back, her head looking around to search for any visible danger while she searched for anything that might be able to harm her with her _pitiful_ miko abilities. She didn't sense anything, but she knew from merely knowing Sesshoumaru never to let her guard down. He could come out of nowhere and she'd never once detect him because he was really good at finding his youkai presence, and she had thus concluded there had to be others who could do that as well. Powerful youkai who were not scared of a young miko with barely any training, and might be looking for certain things that only women could give them—if they were males—even though she wasn't willing to share hers.

Feeling her heart begin to pound within her chest, Kagome glanced around in all directions, her feet nearly tripping over each other while she did so. She didn't know what it was but something caught her attention toward the east and she turned that way, glancing around in all directions while she stumbled through the brush, hoping there wasn't anything venomous or deadly, since she didn't have her flashlight either. She was using the moonlight and starlight that beamed through the treetops, and it was hard to understand what her senses had caught because she was so used to using her eyes in order to tell what was happening around her.

It looked like there was some type of glowing in the distance, and Kagome smiled as she thought about it. She must have been closer to the village than she'd thought, since it was probably the villagers with torches and their fires shining from inside their huts. It was this assumption that picked up her pace, even though her feet seemed to realize this was not a path she normally took more than her mind seemed to. She ignored that feeling, telling herself that she'd soon be sitting with Sango and Miroku, laughing as they bickered over something else—they'd been recently married since Naraku took Kohaku's life—or Shippo would be jumping onto her shoulders and asking her where she'd been while she giggled.

She never noticed the barrier she passed, nor the eyes that watched her from the shadows. However, she noticed the change in temperature, and the fact that she was no longer standing in a forest, but a beautiful paradise. Her feet slowly came to a stop and she dragged her left foot behind her before she came to a complete stop and looked around the place. It was… for a lack of a better word, beautiful. Moonflowers beamed in the moonlight; many different colored flowers surrounded different maple trees; there were flowers that she'd never seen in her life and others that she saw everyday, but as she spun around to look at them all she noticed that they created a beautiful place. It seemed to glow silver in some places and gold in others, while another part seemed to be blended with purple, blue, and pinks, yet the center seemed to be light blue, while there were black flowers hidden among the moonflowers to create a strange, but beautiful looking pattern. The scent that flooded her scents smelled like it was perfectly blended just for her, and she couldn't help but close her eyes while she spun around, her arms wide as insects rose from petals around her. She opened her eyes just in time to see that she was about to step on a flower and quickly stepped back onto the grass, attracting more attention from her silent watcher.

"Amazing," he heard her say, his golden eyes watching her as she moved about. She touched one of the trees, and he heard her laugh when the branches seemed to move in the wind as they touched her lightly, though they were moving as he commanded. His fingers touched the ground, vines wrapping around his wrists as he watched her travel around the flowers and other pieces of foliage, making sure that she walked lightly and never once stepped onto anything. Humans were never that considerate, and he tilted his head of silver hair in wonder of why she was… what was she?

The feeling that brought him was strange, though, and he narrowed his eyes in suspicion of what she was doing. It was clear that she was a miko, but what gift did this miko have that she was able to bring such feelings into him? He was a thief, true, but he was not one to be fooled into something known. He would find out what this miko was doing to him, but before he could even step out from the shadows he heard her whisper something else, her hand touching the plants around her.

"Its so beautiful here," Kagome said. She touched a flower, gasping when it suddenly seemed to pull itself from the bush and wrap around her wrist. Her hand was glowing, and she smiled at her connection to nature, before feeling it break off from the bush and completely hold itself to her skin, almost like it was stuck there. However, she felt her miko powers rise, and knew that it was she that held the flower to herself even though she had done nothing to hold it at all. "I wonder why I've never noticed it before. Maybe… I'm not close to the village afterall." Her eyes seemed to glow a little, before she touched the flower again. "Why is it I don't want to leave?"

He blinked in surprise, feeling her connection to nature, before tilting his head to the side. He'd never seen another with such a unique connection to nature, and something inside of him pulled him to go to her while he watched. Almost like he was being drawn in, and he had to wonder if it were merely her connection, or the fact that he was attracted to a ningen woman. It would not surprise him, she was a beauty, and he admired beautiful things. Perhaps he should… show himself?

Perhaps not…

He moved.

Kagome tensed, feeling the rise of youki in the area. She turned suddenly, seeing an almost ghost-like kitsune standing not far away. His clothing seemed to hang off his skin, like it had been made too big for him, and he'd tied it in several places to keep the haori around him, while his hakama was baggy and loose. His silver hair was almost rough looking—almost gray in color—, but her eyes were drawn instantly to the ears that sat atop his head, pointing into the air as if tall and proud. His eyes reminded her of Sesshoumaru, but they held emotions and were bright in color, while Sesshoumaru's only brightened whenever something he wanted was within his reach. She tensed further, not believing that she was comparing this youkai to Sesshoumaru, since it was Inuyasha she should be using, but… couldn't every woman have her moment when she dreamed of being with such a beautiful being like Sesshoumaru—even if his personality sucked.

"W-who are you?" Kagome asked. She watched this being move forward, and felt a part of her being bringing images of him in shining white armor while he saved her from vicious Inuyasha and they road off into the sunset toward his castle in the sky. Another part of her, however, was screaming that this was wrong, he was youkai, she needed to get the hell out of there.

He smirked a little, "I could ask the same of you, girl. You've somehow trespassed on my secret paradise, and you are in no position to begin asking questions. Now, where to begin… ah, I believe your question is the best to ask: who are you, girl?"

"K-K-Kagome," she shuddered, trying to push away the dirty thoughts upon hearing his voice. It sounded so pure, like he could never do any wrong, at least to her. It wasn't her fault she read a few to many romance novels back home—ok, it was—and she felt like she could suddenly melt in the presence of this _male_, for he was surely not a man.

"Kagome," it tasted sweet upon his tongue, and he nodded at her answer. "I am Youko, girl. I have many names among the ningen world, but I do not believe one such as you," he glanced down at her clothing, "would have heard of me. No, not from the whore house you walked out of." He stopped before her, looking down at the clothing that she wore, determining it far to tight for any type of skin; it didn't even look warm.

"What?" Kagome snapped, suddenly tense again.

"Are you deaf, girl?" Youko asked. "Surely you would have heard what I said. Ningen are such strange creatures when they ask questions from answers. Your clothing, girl, tells me that you are obviously not an innocent woman. From smell, perhaps, but perhaps your father sold you to a ningen whore house in order to pay a higher lord, or perhaps he merely wished to place you there. Such tight clothing would have been torn from your skin, other females not wanting you to get attention, if you'd not been inside some place where everyone wore such things."

"Tight?" Kagome hissed. "My clothing is not that tight, thank you very much! In fact it's quite comfortable."

"I doubt that," he replied.

"Yeah, well, that shows what you know," Kagome said, lifting her nose into the air. "A woman's opinion is better than a man's."

"Girl," Youko smirked again, "I am no man."

She blushed, her eerie suddenly gone as she pulled the scent around her into her lungs. "I knew that," she whispered. She looked around, "Where are we?"

"Inside my secret garden," Youko continued to smirk. "I believe I have answered that question already, as well. This is my paradise, a place I have nourished for years, and you, girl, have walked right in here. How is that?"

"I sensed something," Kagome said. "I didn't know that I was trespassing, I shall leave if you want me to." She glanced down at the flower that continued to hold onto her like a lifeline, before wincing in pain. She suddenly thrust her wrist out, her other hand coming up to hold onto it, and she wondered for a moment if it was being severed from her arm. It felt like that, and she closed her eyes in pain, tears beginning to leak from her eyes.

He watched as the flower seemed to wither away, her fingers nearly touching him, before the place the flower had attached itself to her began looking as if it was burning away. He heard her scream, before grabbing her wrist, wondering what was happening, before watching the flower design burn itself into her skin, his paradise becoming linked with her physically. His golden eyes narrowed, before he tilted his head to the side. "Girl."

"It hurts."

"I imagine it does," he said, "Kagome." He rolled her name off his tongue once more, before glancing up at her. He knew what the marking meant, besides the fact that she was now apart of the paradise he'd planted. He was also connected to them, and they were telling him things, things that would make him keep this woman. Ningen though she may be. Besides, she might have been wearing a whore's clothing, but the tight material did have a certain appeal about it.

Kagome pulled her wrist from his grip, feeling it loosen from her before it fell away. She backed away from him, clutching her wrist to her chest, before tears began washing down her face more than before. "I-I-I…"

"Yes?"

"I-I," she whimpered. "I-I shall—" she ground her teeth together, "I shall leave now."

"Leave?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I cannot trust you, Youko. I-I must return to those I love."

He'd heard ningen say this word many times, but it still confused him. "Love?" He saw her nod, before he shook the question away, and turned to her silent demand for him to allow her to leave. No, she would not leave, for his paradise would live as long as he, and she would live as long as it stayed alive. Weapons, potions, curses and many others things outside of his paradise would not harm her, but she would not be leaving, not while he was still alive. "You shall not leave, even for those you _love_."

"What?"

"You heard me, girl. You will not leave."

"You cannot force me to stay here," Kagome replied, backing up into the bush behind her. She watched the kitsune move closer to her, and backed up some more, her eyes darting around like a doe that was trapped by a predator.

"No," Youko nodded in agreement. "I cannot," he grabbed her wrist, "but this will make you stay. No matter where you go you will wish to be here. No matter how much you try to run you shall forever think of this place. No matter what place, time, or space you are in you will forever have this place engraved in your mind, longing to return. You will suffer for hundreds of years, thousands perhaps."

"I will not stay here," Kagome cried. "Not when those I love are waiting for me."

He reached up and grabbed her chin with his other hand, before forcing her closer to him, her body nearly falling into his. "You will stay here, girl," he whispered. "I shall not allow you to leave; I vow upon my current position not to allow you, Kagome, to leave this place." He looked down at her, before smirking, "Besides, I have ways of making you wish to stay." With that he lowered his head, capturing her lips with his own, his tongue sweeping into her mouth when she gasped in surprise. He moved his lips to encourage her, pulled her closer, and tilted his head to get a better position. He did not release her until he sensed she needed to breathe, before nibbling on her bottom lip, hearing her heart speed up within her chest. "What do you say? Will you stay?" he whispered against her lips, his fangs piercing into her swollen red lips, bruising from his roughness.

"I do not have any other choice…?" Kagome asked, breathing deeply.

"No," he replied, licking her lips. "I shall not allow you to leave. You shall teach me this love, and remain here to please me when I need you. You shall be my tender flower within my secret garden, and no one else shall ever have you for I will never share."

A tear streaked down her face.

Years later, hundreds in fact, the story of the missing miko turned into nothing but legend, another, a dead woman, having finished the task she was supposed to have completed. Those who had known the miko had missed her presence and closed their eyes years later with images of her smiling face, while others merely heard stories of her kindness and purity, before her disappearance. Though only legend, should one someday stumble upon a garden like no other they will find that this miko is not of legend, but of truth, as beautiful as the day she vanished, as young as she was foretold to have been when she disappeared. Should they stumble upon this place they will meet the youkai that kept her there, loving her the only way he knew how, before they met their death, the miko uncaring to this because she had inherited the mask of the youkai. Deep inside her, though, tears still ran like rushing blood, her mind only sane because though she was locked away, her heart was stolen by love a few years after with a paradise planted by a kitsune with many gifts. The very kitsune who she loved and hated; but it was simply said to be legend… but perhaps it is not?

_--Fin_


	8. Throughout the Blood: Uchiha Itachi

_**Title:** Throughout the Blood_

_**Summary:** Kagome falls into the well ending up in a different dimension, and her powers attract one Uchiha Itachi. Her power attracts him until he finds himself pulled so close he wants to use her power to rebuild his Clan; the very Clan he destroyed…_

**Pairing: **Itachi/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/Inuyasha

* * *

Her breath was coming out in pants, her power spiking as she thought of home. However, it was not happiness that she was thinking of home, but the fact that she'd learned Inuyasha could not move through the well whenever he transformed into his youkai form. He'd attacked her, his beads of subjugation gone, and Kikyo having given him something that caused him to fall under her spell. She continued to move forward, knowing that Inuyasha was out there somewhere, and her power spiked again in order to keep him at bay, before she gasped in joy.

The well was just up ahead!

She could see it through the trees, and stumbled in order to keep herself on her feet, hearing a sickening roar behind her. She sensed a far more powerful aura within the area than that of Inuyasha's youkai's, but she was sure that it wouldn't come to her rescue. Besides, she still had to worry about Kikyo, but the thought of home was pounding against her mind, her sorrow for losing all her friends but Inuyasha and Shippo during the final battle with Naraku pushed into the back of her mind for the moment. It'd been nearly a month, but it drained most of her strength, which was why she was glad she stumbled again, claws suddenly slicing through the air above her head as she gasped.

Almost like it was out of the shadows of the forest, she heard, "Hm, it seems that luck is still on your side, reincarnation. However, Inuyasha shall not be one to be distracted by your foolishness." There was a laugh, "Now, my pet, destroy her and return my soul to me!" After that Kagome pushed herself to her feet, rushing through the last set of trees toward the well's clearing, before she heard Kikyo's frustrated yell, the sound of clashing metal filling her ears.

Wondering what was happening, Kagome turned her face to see a streak of white, before Sesshoumaru's form came into view. She allowed her eyes to widen, before Inuyasha struck at him, swiping his claws toward his elder brother, growling all the while. Sesshoumaru seemed not to notice, and Kagome nearly sighed in relief, before she realized exactly what was happening. She looked around, wondering where Kikyo was, before catching sight of Inuyasha pushing passed Sesshoumaru in order to come at her.

Sesshoumaru snorted, "Foolish half-breed, allowing yourself to be controlled by a woman long since dead. It is a shame to call you my kin." Narrowing his eyes when his possessed half-brother gave him no reaction that he'd heard his words, he swung his Tokijin within his right hand. "It is time you died, half-breed."

Kagome began running once more; turning her eyes to watch as Inuyasha came rushing at her. She tried to run faster, the well coming closer and closer, but not fast enough for her liking. Sesshoumaru was rushing at Inuyasha, and before she reached the well she gasped when suddenly an arrow sliced through the air, nearly missing her arm, and slammed against the well's outer rim. Strange that they called Kikyo a master archer when she'd managed to evade so many of her arrows.

Inuyasha continued to move toward her, his claws extended to full length and wishing to slice into her soft looking skin. A soft voice continued to tell him that it was the right thing to do, while another continued to yell that she was his friend. However, he could not remember her face, and shook that voice away, growling as he sensed the older youkai coming at him from behind. He ignored it, turning his red eyes completely onto the frozen girl, before she stumbled backwards when he jumped toward her.

The back of her knees bumped against the rim of the well, before Kagome's eyes widened even farther than before. She watched as quite suddenly Sesshoumaru's white streak moved through the air, before blood splattered onto her face, her eyes widening as she watched Inuyasha's blood-red eyes bleed away, turning to his normal gold, before they turned dull in color. She watched as Sesshoumaru pulled his sword from Inuyasha's back, before turning his eyes toward her, their cold depths uncaring for her presence.

Danger! 

She turned her eyes to see another arrow heading straight for her head. Sesshoumaru, she knew, would do nothing; he cared nothing for her, after all. However, the shock of seeing Inuyasha die rushed over her, her body feeling cold, before she fainted, falling backwards into the well. The arrow missed its mark as she fell into the depths of the Bone Eaters Well, the normal blue light never shining through the air, but the Shikon no Tama around her neck turning bright pink, before a bright yellow color filled the air within the Sengoku Jidai, telling others that something had changed the magic of the well.

Kikyo stepped out of the forest, narrowing her eyes at Sesshoumaru as he used his poison claw in order to melt Inuyasha's body completely. She turned her eyes toward the well, knowing that her reincarnation was not of this world, but also knowing that the well's magic always showed as a blue light. Her eyes moved to see what could have changed that, before she caught sight of her arrow sticking out of the side of the well, glittering in the sunlight. It looked like a dying soul, before it dissolved completely, and she felt the magic of the well die. Somehow her arrow had changed the well's magic, and now the magic was gone with the arrow. This caused her to smirk, knowing that her reincarnation would never return.

Her victory was short lived before she felt claws in her side. She turned to see Sesshoumaru's cold golden eyes staring down at her, obviously uncaring to the fact that he was killing her. She heard him say something about never interfering with his family again, but her body crumbled to pieces when he sliced his claws upward through her chest and head, the trapped souls she carried instantly looking for the exit and soon traveling in search of the afterlife, while a large piece moved toward the well before disappearing completely.

Sesshoumaru turned away from the sight, shaking his claws, having already sheathed his Tokijin. He cared not what happened to the miko, nor did he care that both his foolish half-brother and his clay pot whore were dead. He merely knew that Inuyasha had changed back to himself before he died, and that made him slightly _happy_, since he had told himself many times it was dishonorable to kill Inuyasha while he was being controlled by his youkai.

* * *

A strange light moved across the land, attracting his attention. He turned his head to look toward where it came from, and where it quickly disappeared to, before he felt a strange power caress his skin. His need to test his strength against this power quickly became known, before Uchiha Itachi narrowed his eyes, knowing that whatever it was, female or male, it would be a powerful opponent. Maybe he did not need to wait for another Mangekyou Sharingan user in order to die, since he would never die for one who was weaker than himself.

His need became apparent before he turned himself toward the place he sensed the power coming from. It was strange for such power to come out of nowhere, and his hidden curiousity got the better of him. The place was not far off, and if he remember correctly it was near a small shrine with a well hidden within it, but other than that he couldn't remember exactly what was over in this direction. Perhaps there was some type of village that trained shinobi.

He was silent as he walked forward, his red eyes taking in everything around him, before he came upon the shrine. He sensed the power coming from within the shrine, thus he moved forward until he was before the sliding doors, the shrine long and ready to fall. However, he paid little attention to this as he moved inside, beginning to walk down the short set of stairs, before the dark opening of the well came into view. There was a soft pink light coming from within, before he felt his heart pound for some odd reason, his body tense, ready for anything that might happen. He was a deadly opponent; no one would get one up on him without getting hurt first.

Itachi's eyes flickered back and forth, taking in everything, noticing that the light seemed to dim a bit, receding back into the well. Placing his left arm onto his sword underneath his cloak, Itachi moved forward. When he reached the end of the well he sensed nothing dangerous, only the dimming power that was coming from within. Sensing that he was in no danger he glanced down, easily seeing through the darkness of the shrine. His narrowed eyes widened upon what he saw.

A woman. No, a girl around a year younger than himself; one that radiated with an unknown power that he'd never seen before, lay within the well. She was positioned as if she'd been thrown into the well, her white haori and red hakama looking as if she'd run through an entire forest before her capture had caught her. He watched her, though, as the pink light moved until it was merely shimmering off her skin, a long scratch on her cheek beginning to heal before his very eyes. Though the well was long it was easy to see for him, and something pushed him to retrieve the woman-child.

Disturbed a little by this strange feeling he easily jumped into the well, landing just next to the girl, her head tilting to the side as she groaned. He could feel the strange chakra crackling around her, before it seemed to turn upon him, but instead of being threatening it touched him gently, almost like it was trying to determine if he was a friend or foe. It was very gentle, but it caused his own chakra to rise, and unlike normal he could see the red color crackling with the pink, mixing together with it, bending with it, before they both seemed to satisfy themselves and shrank away. If he hadn't seen it for himself he might have not believed it happened, but he narrowed his eyes at the woman-child, before he knelt next to her and lifted her into his arms.

Jumping out of the well he watched as the wound on her cheek completely sealed itself together, almost like she was a top medic-nin whose family had developed a special Kekkei Genkai that allowed them to heal while they slept. It seemed like it could also be used as a weapon if it needed to be used as one, since he sensed a sort of battle side to it when it had touched him. It proved she was powerful, and he would have to see just how powerful she was once she regained consciousness. If she was weaker than him then he'd kill her, if she wasn't then he'd finally be able to find peace, and perhaps she'd tell Sasuke that he no longer needed to go after him, but her, because she'd taken his chance for vengeance.

Walking out of the shrine, Itachi ignored the feeling to look down at the girl within his arms. She had to be at least sixteen-years-old, a year younger than himself, from the way she looked. Her clothing was a little out of date, though, almost like she'd come from a completely different place, and though he enjoyed a quiet atmosphere he wanted to know the answers to the questions going through his head. She would tell him the answers.

* * *

Around a week later she glared at his back, knowing full well that he would feel her hatred at the fact that he'd forced her to follow him until she could remember something other than her name. She didn't know how, or what he'd done, but he'd done something that kind of _bound_ her to him until he wished to merely allow her to go on her way. Not that it would have mattered, since she couldn't remember where she'd come from or anything, but this man, this Itachi, said it was probably because she might have slammed her head against the side of the well when she was dropped into it. She could remember that conversation all too well.**FLASHBACK**

She groaned, opening her eyes to see a pair of red ones looking down at her. Tensing up, she backed away from the pair of eyes, before she backed herself into a nearby tree. Silly Kagome trapped herself without even realizing it as the strange male stood before her. She allowed her eyes to widen, taking in the sight of the quiet man in a black cloak lined with red on the inside. She saw something sharp at his side, but she couldn't quite remember what it was.

"I see you're awake," she heard. She almost thought she couldn't remember the words, but after they were thoroughly thought over she seemed to know what he was saying. "I was beginning to wonder if you were dead."

She opened her mouth, but couldn't seem to be able to make the words come forth. "I-I-I…" she felt like she was talking for the first time, but she narrowed her eyes in thought, wondering why she could remember speaking at one point, but why she couldn't remember where or why. She hissed, feeling a burning feeling inside her brain, before she said, "I don't remember."

He seemed confused, "What?"

"I… I can't remember," she tried again, biting her lip, as his eyes seemed to spin. She allowed her eyes to widen, wondering what exactly he was doing, before he blinked and it was gone, his red eyes seeming to settle a bit.

His face remained the same as he said, "What is your name?"

"Name?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Your name. The name you were given when you were born."

"My name… my name is… K-K-something," she tried. She frowned, lowering her eyes so that she wasn't gazing into his red ones, feeling that should she something might happen to her, something bad. _Kagome! Kagome wake up!_ She groaned after hearing this, noticing that he was waiting for her to answer. "Kag-Kagome," she whispered. "That is my name."

"Where are you from?" he asked.

"I… I don't understand," she said.

"What village did you come from?" he growled, narrowing his eyes.

She tensed further. "I don't know."

"What do you know?" he asked.

She shook her head as an answer, before his fingers clenched around her chin. She gasped, trying to pull herself away from him, before feeling something touch her cheek. It was cold and hard, and her mind registered it as a dangerous thing, before she whimpered, "I don't know. I can't remember." She didn't know what brought her to say this, but she stared into his eyes before she felt herself sort of drift in and out of her body. He released her afterward, but she still felt the strange feeling that she was no longer herself.

"I am Uchiha Itachi," he said, standing straight. "You shall stay with me until I get answers from you. You are to keep quiet, and follow until you remember what I asked you." He did something then, before she nodded, her mind feeling like it needed to do as he said. His eyes spun once again, before he turned from her, saying, "Come."

**END FLASHBACK**

Itachi ignored her, his eyes flickering back and forth in order to take in what was going on around him. He narrowed his eyes when he sensed another shinobi close by, before he stopped, feeling the girl bump into his back. He knew for a fact that having her trail behind him like a human shadow wasn't the best idea, considering that he had so many enemies that would use her against him. Something inside of him felt angered when he thought of this, before he told her to stay behind him at all times. He felt her hands grip onto the back of his cloak, as the other shinobi stepped out of the trees.

"Hatake Kakashi," he said.

"Uchiha Itachi," Kakashi returned. He turned his visible eye so that he could see his young team fighting while they walked toward them. However, he returned his vision back to boy before him, watching as Itachi raised his cloak in order to hide another person behind him. A woman. This was interesting. "I see you have been getting _around_, Itachi."

He felt Kagome tense, though he kept himself cool and untouched by the words of the other jounin. However, he turned his eyes toward the forest when he heard the annoying voice of a boy he was once told to kidnap with his partner within the Akatsuki Organization, before he heard the voice of his brother. However, his attention turned to the silent girl behind him, listening as she gritted her teeth together, obviously trying to keep to her vow to remain quiet.

"I'm going to be Hokage one day! Believe it!" Uzumaki Naruto yelled; his eyes narrowed as he glared at Sasuke. The other chuunin ignored him, before he felt the need to pounce on him and rip him to pieces. However, Sakura's hand was placed onto his shoulder and he calmed a bit, before turning his eyes to see Kakashi had stopped and was standing as if he was ready to battle. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, what's—"

"Itachi…" Sasuke whispered, cutting Naruto's question off. He heard Sakura gasp, but ignored her, narrowing his eyes at his elder brother, before switching his eyes to the woman behind him. He heard Itachi whisper something to her, before she replied with something. Narrowing his eyes, he heard Kakashi yell for him not to do anything rash before he found himself rushing forward toward his elder brother.

"Stay here."

"But you said—" Kagome said.

"Stay here," Itachi snapped. He was annoyed, and he hated to be annoyed. He heard her reply of 'yes', before he pulled his sword from his side. His attention was completely on Sasuke as he moved away from the jutsu his brother suddenly sent at him that he barely noticed the other shinobi nearby. He knew that Sasuke's team would not interfere, but he turned his eyes to watch as a set of grass shinobi came out of nowhere. "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

Kakashi watched as the girl tensed, suddenly swinging around while Itachi sent out his attack toward Sasuke, before flipping away from him in order to return to the girl's side. He saw the grass shinobi rush toward her, before she screamed, her arms flinging out before her. His eye widened when he saw a pink light rush from her fingers, her clothing lifting in an invisible wind, before she seemed to be outlined with a heavenly white glow; even her red hakama and hair seemed to turned white.

_Danger!_ Kagome felt her mind scream at her. She turned from watching Itachi; before she saw others she didn't know rushing at her. She screamed, lifting her arms in hope that they'd be able to stop the oncoming attackers. Something inside of her flared, before she was staring through a white haze, confused and looking for something while the shinobi before her were paralyzed on the spot. She turned, her eyes wide as she searched for something, giving soft whimpers, before her eyes landed upon the male she'd been traveling with. She moved forward toward him, reaching him before clinging to the front of his cloak, still confused and sinking closer to him.

_Danger!_ She turned her eyes toward the incoming Sasuke, a kunai held within his hand. She heard people yelling, she felt Itachi's arms snake around her in order to jump away, but she narrowed her eyes in anger. Gripping Itachi's cloak tighter, she opened her mouth to say, "Stop" pink rings suddenly forming around Sasuke's wrists and hanging him in the air.

"SASUKE!" Sakura yelled. She moved forward a few steps, only to stop when she looked at the woman within Sasuke's brother's arms. Her eyes had changed from white to pink, before she placed her cheek onto Itachi's chest. Sakura stepped backwards, before feeling Kakashi's hand on her shoulder. It looked like a fallen angel who'd taken refuge with the devil, but had somehow ended up caring for him in some way.

"Itachi," Kagome whispered. Her white glow faded away, her body falling into his arms as she fainted.

Her power once again caressed his form, and Itachi shivered for some odd reason. Sealing his lips he quickly placed one arm underneath her knees, the other behind her back as he lifted her into his arms. He didn't know what caused it, but he fled for the first time, wishing to keep the woman within his arms safe.

"Itachi!" Sasuke yelled, dropping to the ground. He began running after him, only for Kakashi's hand to be placed onto his shoulder. He tried to shrug it off, only for the jounin to grip his clothing in order to keep him there.

"Let them go, Sasuke," Kakashi said.

Naruto's wide eyes stared between them all, before he realized that the grass shinobi were coming at them. He sighed, thinking, _do I have to do everything myself._ Rolling his eyes he rolled up his sleeve, before pulling out a kunai, ready for the other shinobi to come at him.

* * *

Strange thoughts were going through his mind, all of them different from what he originally wanted. He'd tried to kill himself many times, why was he thinking about these types of things. He wished for a stronger opponent to kill him, yet he was thinking about these very _strange_ things. Things that he'd often told himself that he didn't want to deal with when he was an adult. So why was a strange picture of Kagome holding an onyx haired boy within her arms, him standing behind her in the background, watching as others came to him as their head. What he would have been after his father had died if he hadn't killed him and his entire Clan.

He placed the woman-child onto the ground, watching as once again her strange chakra flowed from her body and touched him. The thoughts returned to him, before he shook them away. He felt his own chakra respond to it, before sighing at what he felt. A week. A week and he'd fallen to the one emotion he told himself didn't exist in order to continue with his life. One week and the memory wiped girl had somehow messed with his entire life.

He wished and he wanted. He wished and he wanted. What he wished he'd always have to himself, but what he wanted was something he could not have at the moment. He'd traveled far and fast in order to reach the Hidden Leaf Village, hoping that the Hokage and the others would take care of her. He touched her cheek gently, wishing nothing more than to rebuild his destroyed Clan with her. However, that was a wish, and not something he could have at the moment.

He saw her eyes open a bit, before whispering, "I shall return for you one-day, Kagome. Remember that, but tell no one." His Sharingan caused her to nod a little, before he pinched her pressure point and caused her to faint once more. Someone would find her soon, and when they did she could live out her life anew before he came for her.

Standing, Itachi turned from her, quickly scanned the forest, before moving away from her. Once he was inside the forest he heard the usual guards asking questions to each other about her, before saying something about taking her to the Hokage. He closed his eyes in order to stop his feet from turning around and returning to her, the wind picking up around the S-Rank Criminal and blowing his clothing and hair behind him.

_I will return. When I do I shall take you away from here as my wife, Kagome. You must always remember that, for I do not take 'no' for an answer. I shall kill anyone who has taken you from me._

_--Fin_

_**

* * *

**_

It took me forever to actually write this, and then when I was close to done I couldn't figure out how to end it. I'm sorry, I'm not used to writing anything with Itachi that's short. I do actually have a fanfiction with Itachi and Kagome that I've started, but I'm not going to post because I want to finish my current Sesshoumaru/Kagome fics before I start anything else—I have this sort of habit that causes my to finish things I can still think up ideas for—so I won't be posting that for a while. But if you wish to know, it's called, _Till the End of the World_.

Anyway, that's not what I wanted to say. I wished to give you the titles and pairing to the next eight one-shots. Yes, eight. They might come out in this order, they might not. (I'm pretty sure I'll come up with more after I tell you these. Lol)

**1. Title: **At First Sight

**Pairing: **Yuki/Kagome

**2.** **Title:** Byakugan!

**Pairing:** Neji/Kagome

**3. Title:** The Soul Giving Alchemist

**Pairing:** Edward/Kagome

**4. Title:** When You Need Him Most

**Pairing:** Miroku/Kagome

**5. Title:** Yusuke, A Matchmaker?

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**6. Title:** Feral

**Pairing:** Sasuke/Kagome

**7. Title:** Better Things

**Pairing:** Yusuke/Kagome

**8. Title:** The Female Samurai

**Pairing:** Mugen/Kagome

_Kiba_


	9. When You’re Gone: Haku

_**Title:** When You're Gone_

_**Summary:** She didn't realize just how much she loved him until he was killed by another shinobi. She didn't realize anything, not even her own Kekkai Genkai until he was dead… but she'd never be able to tell him because he was no longer there. He was dead._

**Pairing:** Haku/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/Inuyasha

* * *

_The wind whipped around them, the sea crashing against the side of the high cliff they were standing upon. A single tear swept down the face of a young girl, about ten-years-old while she clenched her hand into a fist, wishing nothing more than to pound some sense into the boy in front of her. Couldn't he see that that blasted Zabuza was using his power? Couldn't he see that a selfish man who wished to have a weapon protect him at every turn was just using him? She was ten and she could see it! She saw it all to clearly._

…It always started this way…

_"You will not change your mind?" she asked, feeling her shoulders slump in near defeat. She'd watched him since she was little. She'd wanted to be with him since she first met him. He was handsome in a feminine like way, but she wished to love him because of his heart, not his face. She wanted something different than what her mother had gotten in her father, but she wasn't brave enough to tell him._

…She always said those words…

_The boy turned toward her, only a year older. "No. I am nothing but an instrument for Zabuza's use. I will do whatever he asks. I'm sorry, Kagome, but I will not return to… to… that place with you. You should go back to your father and mother and marry when you're old enough. You shouldn't let silly little emotions like crushes control your actions." He then turned so that he was once again facing away from her, "I have found my place in the world."_

…The scenery was not always the same…

"_But—"_

…He always left her afterward, never paying attention to her dying word…

Fifteen-year-old Higurashi Kagome sat up in her position within a tree—she'd fallen asleep when she knew she shouldn't have—her mind continuing to play out the times she'd been found by him, before he simply shook his head and told her to leave. Zabuza paid her no mind since she was weak and would not be able to stop him, she did not control her childhood crush thus she could not take his weapon away from him. Oh, what was weapon he was, that Haku! Dear Haku was a gifted person, but she would have wanted to be by his side even if he could not use his special Kekkei Genkai.

Her crush just wouldn't go away. She wanted to be close to him, yet he continued to push her away as if she was nothing but a disease. Before he began training with Zabuza he was kind and would at least speak with her after she returned from the Academy. You could say that's where it all started, when she was at least seven-years-old, but she'd been watching him far longer than that. She'd fell for his face, then she found she liked his voice, and after that she found he was kind and generous. Maybe it was because of these things that she continued to think of him, or maybe it wasn't, but all she knew was that she wished to be close to him, near him, and he didn't want that.

Stretching herself out, Kagome tried to remember when she'd last seen Haku. It'd been around three months ago. She remembered it because Zabuza had told him that they were going after a bridge builder because Gatou had ordered it done. She couldn't believe that Zabuza was working with such a criminal, even if he was an assassin since he was exiled from the Hidden Mist Village, or the Blood Mist Village, as she'd known it as. She remembered this because Haku had come at her afterward, pressing one of his needles to her neck, before she merely turned her head away. It shouldn't have surprised her, which it hadn't, and she'd merely lay in his arms before he'd placed her onto the ground, told her that he would not be so kind the next time, and told her once again to go home.

She had no home.

Her home was with him.

Snorting to herself, Kagome flipped down from the branch she'd slept upon, trying to get the aches out of her back before she used any chakra. After she was done stretching, something she tried to do before any exercise, she began to run, knowing that the bridge was not far off. She'd made sure that she was not far away so that she could get there when the time was right, hoping to watch Haku fight, since he was so graceful and quick within his Mirrors of Ice—she'd never been told the name he'd came up with for it, so she called it that. It was so pretty to watch until the blood was splattered into the air and Haku's opponent fell to the ground dead. Maybe she shouldn't call it pretty, but she could be a little more naïve than she should have been. Maybe it was because she never finished her time at the Academy, though it had been very small because it had not been a true village of shinobi.

As she ran she began making hand signs, before channeling chakra to her feet, knowing the speed she needed would be found within the jutsu. She might have been able to say the bridge was close for her, but it was actually quite far for anyone who wished to walk. It was something her mother had taught her before she'd died, though she liked to believe that she was still alive somewhere. Her father only told her that she'd died, along with her would-have-been little brother, but she hadn't trusted him as far as she could throw him. Probably why she'd watched Haku so much as a child; her mother had always told her to be kind to those who had less than she did.

With a single bound she leapt over thirty yards, her foot slamming against the bark of a tree when she came to close to hitting one. Her chakra burnt most of the bark away before she pushed away, the bark suddenly crushed underneath her burst of strength. When she hit the ground she bent her knees and leapt forward once more, feeling like she was flying for a moment, her speed causing the wind to nearly seem still while it pushed against her. She was coming closer and closer, she knew, but she felt like her eyes turned white with chakra, her vision becoming stronger as chakra coursed throughout her system. The enhancement jutsu she'd used worked slowly, not quickly, which was one of the only bad sides to it… well, that and the fact that it could cause one to lose their sight, hearing, or muscle movements if they used it for over thirty minutes.

Kagome neared the bridge, narrowing her eyes as she heard the sound of clashing metal with her enhanced hearing. Her eyes pierced through the strange mist that was raised around the center of the bridge, before she saw Haku's form fly out of his jutsu, a strange boy following afterward. Even with her enhanced vision she could not see it very well, but she watched as the boy flew toward Haku, before she began running forward once more, the boy she held dear turning to look toward her, before back toward a direction she had not glanced at. She watched almost like it was in slow motion as Haku caught the boy's weapon and began making one-handed hand signs, before disappearing all together.

The crackling of visible chakra filled her ears as she allowed other things to come into focus. She tried to track Haku, knowing that her time was running out before the jutsu destroyed her from the inside. Haku moved far to fast as she raced toward the blonde haired boy dressed in orange, suddenly jumping up and planting her foot onto the top of his head, causing him to fall straight into the ground. Her eyes were on the pink haired girl, before she heard the sound of someone moving and turned to look toward where Zabuza was held by summoned dogs.

"H-Haku," she whispered, realizing what was happening. Her eyes widened, before she raced passed the pink haired girl and the bridge builders, her voice rising like a roar as she screamed, "HAKU, NO!" Haku had promised to protect Zabuza in order to keep his dream alive, and her heart slowed as she watched the silver haired man raced toward Zabuza, before Haku's form seemed to materialize out of nowhere before him, water flying in all directions.

Her feet pounded against the ground as the silver haired man turned to look toward her, obviously surprised to see her, before his hand slammed against Haku's chest. Kagome's feet slipped beneath her when she felt her heart break, blood flying everywhere as she allowed the jutsu she'd been using to cancel out, no longer able to control herself while she was using it. Her body hit the ground, before she glanced up to see Haku's hand grip the silver haired man's, before the summon dogs vanished and Zabuza said something about doing a good job, but all she heard was Haku's whispered words, his eyes flickering toward her before his life began to fade completely.

"K-Ka… Zabuza," Haku said.

"Haku—Haku," she whispered. She watched as his eyes dulled, but he continued to smile, obviously proud that he'd managed to keep Zabuza alive for another day. However, something inside of her snapped and she was on her feet before she knew it. Zabuza had been rushing to attack the silver haired man, but she narrowed her eyes, closing them as she felt her body seem to float. When she opened them again she was standing before the stunned Zabuza, though she knew not how she'd gotten there.

"HEY," she heard off to the side. "How'd she do that, Sakura? She just rose out of the ground… the shadows!"

"I don't know, Naruto…"

Kagome stared through the black haze that had formed before her eyes. She gritted her teeth together, watching as the assassin narrowed his eyes at her, saying something about moving or dying, but she stood her ground. "You used him. You used Haku. I won't let you get away with that, Zabuza. Never." The haze before her eyes became solid, and she felt like she was straight through a black mirror that she could see through. She lunged at Zabuza, her hand twisting as she dodged his attack, before he suddenly gasped, his body forced forward by something. Her eyes widened when she saw this, until she noticed that the black, wriggling, tail looking thing split into six different sections, Zabuza's blood pouring from the wound, an organ she did not wish to think of pierced on the end of one of the _tails_, before Zabuza's body fell forward.

She'd always wanted to do that, and she never realized that her hand moved in order to throw Zabuza's body to the side. She felt like she was hearing an echo off in the distance, and she turned to find Haku's body on the ground, before she was by his side. Her hands gripped his shirt, tears washing over her cheeks as she looked down at his peaceful face. He always looked like that, and her fingers touched him gently, her teeth biting into her lip so badly that blood began to fill her mouth. Some slipped from between her parted lips as she gave a choked sob. "Haku. Haku… no. H-Haku. HAKU!" She leaned down, her lips pressing against his as she left a piece of her break, "Haku. Haku, please wake up. Please. Don't die on me. Please!"

_How dare they…? How dare they take Haku away from me!_ She gritted her teeth together, gripping Haku's clothing tighter, before her eyes once more filled with the strange haze. She looked up from his red lips, covered in her blood now, before she looked toward the man with one red eye. She growled like a dog, "How are you! You… You bastard!" She crouched, her mind craving Haku's peaceful face into her memory as she growled again; suddenly flying at the strange man she knew nothing of, as he brought his arm up to block.

Her hand flicked upward, something black slicing into the man's arm as he gave a cry of pain. His strange eye seemed to try and control her, but she shook it off, telling herself that nothing like that would be able to control her. She was like a wild animal, and they were stupid, yes, but they protected and fought like everything else. They could not be pulled into such traps. Kagome landed onto the ground, lunging at his stomach, before a kunai sliced against her cheek, causing her to hiss in pain.

The echoing inside her head continued, before she flipped away from the strange man. He seemed to notice that she was no longer going at him, as her eyes instantly tracked over to see Gatou and his gang, his voice saying something about Zabuza dying far too easily, and it was pitiful that he'd died at the hands of a girl. However, she paid little attention to this, the echoing continuing, before she shook the strange feeling she was having away, the wound on her cheek already healed.

With a single leap she was on the side of the bridge, looking at them all. She glanced at Haku's body, wishing nothing more than to take it with her, before gulping. She would not be able to carry the extra weight in her condition, and a couple of tears fell down her face upon thinking this. However, she caught the eyes of the silver haired man, before nodding once, knowing deep down that this man would give Haku a proper burial; something that would be there for her whenever she needed him.

_I'm sorry, Haku._ Kagome spread her arms out, falling backwards, her eyes filling with the strange blackness once more. She felt that floating feeling before she hit the water, before closing her eyes in order to merely float away. She promised herself that she'd follow the silver haired man, who's name she would hopefully learn later, and see if he would give Haku a proper grave. She heard nothing but the echoing inside her head, the image of Haku's face and the fact that he'd tried to call out to her in his final moments inside her head. She felt almost like she was dying, and in someway she almost wished she was.

* * *

Years later a lone figure stood close to a hidden grave, marked with stones in order to make sure that it could be found. This did not register to the figure, before she shook her head, remembering the day long ago when her love died. Before she killed Zabuza, and attacked Kakashi. Before any of it happened, and she could remember it like it was yesterday. It was something that would forever be engraved into her memory; something she'd never forget because she didn't want to forget. She was living in the past and she knew it, but she didn't care.

Her hand twitched, what seemed to be a black tread rising from the ground and wrapping around her hand. It contained her memories, for she could not remember them well herself without some type of medication on her own. Not that anyone knew of her past, but they did know that she had a terrible memory. That was only because she locked it away inside the shadows she controlled and shifted, manipulating into anything she wanted. She might not have been able to remember it herself, but the shadows acted like perfect holders and they did their job well.

Turning her head to the side, a tear streaked down her face, before it landed on the ground below. She knew that he'd often told her while she tracked them that he was merely a tool for the man who'd saved him, but she never truly believed that. He just wished to believe that because he was afraid of what might happen if he acted for himself. She knew that, but it was a shame that he had never known it, because they might have been happy together. However, that had not been meant to be, and she felt another tear crawl from her eye, travel down her hooded face, and land upon the grave below.

The shadows receded, but the memories remained solid and firm, all of them spinning around inside her mind, before she decided that she'd had enough. It was winter, and she was getting older, thus the cold seemed colder than ever, pressing down upon her body like a wet blanket. She was getting older… and she didn't wish to make him wait any longer. She'd join him soon, simply because she could no longer imagine life without him. True, her memory seemed dull and faded most of the time because she hid it away—in order to forget the things she done, most of them involving killing and blood—but she no longer wished to live within a world where **he** did not exist. She'd sought her revenge upon those who'd destroyed her family, she'd destroyed them all, and it was time for her to rest in peace.

Reaching up, the woman pulled the hood from her face, allowing it to fall at her shoulders. Her dull eyes gazed down at the grave, while her beautiful face looked completely emotionless, never once twitching at the thought of what she was going to do. Her black hair swam around her, long in honor of her lost love. Another tear streaked down from her dull eye, once more landing upon the grave, before she turned from it. Her head shook, her black hair looking like it belonged on a younger woman, before snapping open her holster.

Her fingers pulled themselves from her holster, a kunai grasped firmly in her palm. With a final glance to the grave, she finally turned back to the forest around her. No one would care, no one would know, and no one would ever have to feel the pain of her loss. But she'd be able to meet him soon enough—his name was far too saddening to even think. With that she walked forward, the wind whipping around her, the shadows leaping with each step she took.

The Shadow Assassin was never seen again.

Higurashi Kagome was lost to the world, her body was never found… but who knows what happens in the afterlife. No one but those already dead even knew what she'd done, and even in death she would have been happy with that. She might have found her love, after all; her dear Haku, who gave his life in order to allow Zabuza to live out his own dream, though she'd destroyed it in the end.

_--Fin_


	10. At First Sight: Sohma Yuki

_**Title: **At First Sight_

_**Summary:** She bumped into him by accident and when their eyes connected he fell in love. Years later he wishes to tell her everything about him, but he cannot go against Akito's judgement. Will Akito allow them to be together, or force them apart by blanking her memories?_

**Pairing: **Yuki/Kagome

**Anime:** Fruits Basket/Inuyasha

* * *

His almost silvery-gray hair swished around, one side slightly longer than the other while he smiled down at the girl at his side. Honda Tohru, a girl he'd come to deeply care for, almost love, until he found that she'd fallen for that damn cat, Kyo. She wanted to be friends, and he would allow that as long as she never turned against him, and stayed his friend. Besides, Tohru was the only girl who actually knew of his curse, that he transformed into the rat of the zodiac whenever hugged by a member of opposite sex outside of the family Sohma.

It was almost disappointing to know that he'd never be able to truly fall in love with another woman. He'd never be able to hug her; he might have to ignore her after making love in order to make her think he was too tired to do anything more; he'd have to be constantly watching in order to make sure that she never hugged him from behind, and to top it off, he'd have to make sure that he didn't hurt the woman. If he fell in love… he'd end up hurting himself more than his possible future wife, since her mind would be blanked and she'd move on like everyone else, while he stood in the background watching her be happy with someone that wasn't him.

The books in his hand swung to and fro with his arm. His eyes, almost a purplish-gray, moved toward the right when he realized his fan club was following close behind him. They were clasping their hands together when they noticed that he was looking toward them. It had gotten more than annoying to know that they wouldn't give up their unhealthy obsession with him, but that was their problem, not his own. Whatever they wished to do with their lives was not his concern, especially when he could hear their soft whispering when it came to his name behind his back every time he turned.

It was disturbing. Knowing that no matter what he did, when he turned, or if he tried to get away, one of his obsessed fans would be trying to capture his heart. None of them would ever be able to get it; none of them were like Tohru, after all. Only another Tohru would be able to hold onto his heart completely, but there couldn't possibly be more than one. That was just a ridiculous dream that always came to mind whenever the subject popped into his mind. Especially whenever he thought of his last year within high school, being a senior and all.

Tohru blinked, looking up when she heard Yuki sigh. Her lips formed a frown, knowing from years of being around the boy that he was troubled. She also knew that Sohma Yuki would probably wish for her to say something in order to help him get through it, but since the time he'd found out she'd fallen for Kyo, well, he'd seemed to grow distant from her. He was still her friend, though, and she needed to act like one. "Sohma-sama? Is something troubling you?"

Good 'ld Tohru, always knowing whenever he needed her kind words and wisdom, passed on from her deceased mother. However, Yuki, his heart heavy and mind distant, merely shook his head, saying, "No, Honda-san, nothing is troubling me."

Tohru frowned deeper, "Are you sure? You know you can always talk to me about it, right?"

"Yes," Yuki smiled, nodding so that she'd know her meant it. "This is merely something that only concerns myself, though, Honda-san. I wish to think upon it before deciding if I want others to know about it." He turned his head, listening to the girl give a small sigh through her nose, before continuing to walk forward. However, he knew Tohru far too well, and knew she was far from done.

"Oh, I see," Tohru, nervously pulling at the strap of her book bag, said. "Um. Well, if you ever want to talk about it then, please, don't hesitate to ask. My mother always said that it was bad to keep things bottled up inside. They make you—"

Crash! Thu-mp! 

Tohru gasped, seeing that Yuki was looking down at the girl on the floor. Obviously she hadn't managed to hug him, and she sighed in relief at that, but she watched as the girl scrambled to pick up the books that had been dropped onto the floor upon the collision. Yuki seemed surprised, when she said, "Sohma-sama, are you alright?" Her eyes were wide, worried, yet, hesitant to ask him from the way he'd been acting toward her lately.

The girls from the Prince Yuki Fan Club gasped, all of them rushing forward when they realized their Prince could have been hurt. However, they sighed in relief when they realized he didn't have a scratch on him, before moving to glare at the girl on the ground from the background. Among them was the new leader of the Prince Yuki Fan Club, the one who would get first dibs on him once he decided to begin dating, and she crossed her arms, watching as the girl finally picked up the books in two piles, hers and his.

Yuki was surprised, more so that he hadn't been hugged than anything else, before looking down in order to watch the girl frantically pick up the books he'd dropped, along with her own. Once she began to rise he realized how rude he must have seemed, before leaning down in order to give her a hand. Her black head of hair was all he could see, but his fingers wrapped around his books while she whispered that she was so sorry and it wouldn't happen again. It was when her head raised that he was stilled, his soul feeling like it was sucked into the blue depths that stared up at him in surprise.

Love's deadly claws had once more sunk deep within his heart, turning his blood cold, and causing his heart to pound. Love's poisonous grasp tightened until he felt like he couldn't draw breath, couldn't move, except to search her eyes for the same reaction, finding that she was blushing, her eyes wide. Love was a dangerous, deadly, poisonous, game that drew one in until they couldn't do anything but surrender to its call. Love was the only game that you could win by losing, and the only way out was in.

Love was dangerous and had struck them both.

"Oh," she gasped. "I'm so sorry, please forgive me. I guess I can be so clumsy sometimes. I must apologize, um… er…" She looked nervously around, the blush becoming darker as she tried to look anywhere but his face. "I… I, ah…"

Yuki nearly dropped his books again, quickly grabbing her arm when he realized she looked ready to run. His fingers gripped her upper arm, almost burning upon the contact, before he managed to say, "It is quite alright" in an even voice. However, his voice nearly cracked as he continued, looking down at her well-curved frame, "I do not believe I have ever seen you. Are you new here?"

She smiled in happiness, watching the exchange between the two. She noticed that a fuming girl was beginning to storm toward them, one that slightly reminded her of Uo-chan whenever she got angry. However, her eyes watched the scene with glittering happiness, knowing from the reaction of Yuki that the boy had suddenly been struck with feelings he wouldn't understand completely. It made her sad to know that, but happy to know that Yuki had found someone else to possibly share his life with.

The girl nodded, "Yes. My family just moved here. I almost went to a better educational school, but Sango-chan and I didn't wish to only see each other on the weekends and I decided to come here with her." Yuki heard this, but he was mainly watching how she quickly lifted her books, before bringing a hand up to twirl a strand of hair between her fingertips. Everything else seemed to fade away, while they were isolated together within an area that no one else would ever be able to get to.

If he had believed in such things, he would have probably thought that some type of child with white wings, a bow and quiver of arrows, and a dipper was floating somewhere above them, giggling at his accomplishment. He didn't believe in those things, though, just like he barely believed in the old fairytale that surrounded the animals of the zodiac. His logic just wouldn't allow him to, but at that moment he almost wish he could, because it would have probably allowed him to say something before that other girl showed up.

Tohru sighed, reaching her hand out, "I'm Honda Tohru. This is Sohma Yuki, and you are?"

The girl smiled, gripping her hand within the other girls. "I am Higurashi—"

"**_Kagome_**!" came another voice, drawing Kagome's eyes away from Tohru. "Are you alright? I saw you fall." The new girl's eyes turned toward Yuki, glaring. "If he hurt you in anyway I swear I'll pound him into the ground for you, Kagome-chan. No boy that looks like a girl is going to be able to beat me."

"Oh, Sango-chan!" Kagome smiled. She turned to the others, never knowing a few other pairs of eyes were glaring at her from the distance. "Sorry about that. I'm Higurashi Kagome, and this is my adoptive sister, Higurashi Sango."

Yuki bowed his head, slightly disappointed that his gaze had been ripped from her and placed upon the new girl's. Smiling a little, he said, "I am Sohma Yuki. It is a pleasure to meet you, Higurashi-san; Kagome-san." He noticed that Sango's hand reached out to grab him by the front of the shirt uniform, only for Kagome's hand to rest upon her sister's shoulder, stopping her hand short.

"Its alright, Sango-chan." Kagome smiled brightly, almost more so than Tohru could ever muster. "I'm alright, see? Nothing but maybe a few bumps and small bruises. I'll be fine, I promise; there's nothing to get violent over."

Sango suddenly hugged her to her chest. "Sweet, sweet, innocent, Kagome! The world will surely rip you apart and spit you out!"

Kagome pushed again, giggling, "Come on, Sango-chan. There's no reason to get dramatic, either." She saw the boy, Yuki, smile, before giving a brighter one, seeing a little envy and want behind his own. She heard the girl Tohru laugh, before another voice came into the picture, one that called for the other girl next to Yuki.

"There you are, Tohru-chan. We were getting worried when you weren't to class on time. Did something happen that I need to know about, 'cause you know I'll protect you from other idiots Yuki fans?"

Tohru turned. Her smile turned brighter, "Oh, Uo-chan, Hana-chan!"

Uo sighed, "Who else would it be?"

Hanajima nodded, "Arisa is quite right. I could sense your frightened vibes from our classroom. Are you all right, Tohru-chan? We would not wish for something evil to befall upon you."

Tohru nodded, "Yes, I'm quite alright. Thank you, though. It was not I, but Sohma-sama here that had his books knocked from his hands on accident. It was really nothing to get worried over, I just didn't like the fact that either of them might have been hurt."

"Them?" Uo asked.

Tohru nodded, "Higurashi-sama, and Sohma-sama."

Hanajima paused, "Higurashi…?"

"Yes, that's right," Tohru, frowning, said. "Is there something wrong, Hana-chan?"

Kagome gasped, "Saki!" Her eyes twinkled, "I'd heard you were going to move away, but I never expected that I'd ever see you again. I was so worried after you stopped visiting the shrine in order to play cards. I'd thought something terrible might have happened to you."

Hanajima seemed to distant herself, "Kagome." She took a step backwards, her past coming to surface as she looked into the face of a girl she'd been friends with at her old school. A girl she'd never thought she'd see again. One of the only ones that hadn't called her a 'witch', a 'freak', or tried to do things to her, along with thinking she'd purposely hurt that poor boy. Cursed him, they'd said.

Yuki watched with interest, before smiling once more. Without much notice of any of the others he moved away from them, his eyes twinkling as his mind craved an image of the young woman within his thoughts. No one seemed to notice that he'd gone, except for his ever-watching fan club, and he was slightly glad, because he had time to register his thoughts. Understand that he was truly in love, and it wasn't with Tohru.

* * *

Kagome's eyes twinkled as she walked beside her adoptive sister, the smile on her lips brightening as she remembered Hanajima Saki, though her reaction hadn't been the best. She'd missed her, truly she had, but she guessed that her new friends, Uotani Arisa and Honda Tohru, would be able to help her through everything she'd been through, or went through from then on. Saki might not need her anymore, but she wasn't exactly worried about that as her mind showed the face of that handsome Sohma Yuki, her eyes shining brighter with each passing moment.

She knew what love was like; she'd experienced it once with a boy named Urameshi Yusuke, but the boy hadn't loved her truly in returned, only as a friend. He'd fallen for another girl named Keiko, and had begun dating her, leaving poor Kagome in the dark. However, Yusuke still held a piece of her heart, but it was wonderful to know that she would be able to love again. Perhaps if things didn't work out with Yuki, if things got that far, then she'd be able to find love again in another man, one that truly loved her for herself.

"We're being followed, Kagome-chan," Sango whispered, glancing to the side a little. She noticed that about three girls' were following them, one who looked like she had evil intentions. Apparently they weren't going to be very liked within this new school.

Kagome blinked in surprise, "Really?" She looked over to the side, before nodding, "I see."

Another girl blocked their path almost instantly, her face shoved into Kagome's. However, Sango pushed her away, her eyes hard and murderous as the other girl stepped back. "Now, now," the girl said. "There's no need for violence within this school, is there?"

"What is it you want?" Sango asked.

The girl straightened, listening to the cheer they'd created long ago for their Prince. "I came to tell Higurashi-san to stay away from Sohma Yuki-sama," she replied. "We're apart of the Prince Yuki Fan Club and we get first dibs on him. No one is going to take that away from us, especially not someone who knocked his books from his hand in the middle of the hall. Prince Yuki might be kind and generous, but we're not. We don't share with anyone outside of the Club."

Sango huffed, "Is that so?"

"Yes!"

Sango cracked her knuckles, her eyes hardening even further as the girl suddenly backed away, along with the rest of their group. She heard something about being a Yankee, though she certainly was not, as she said, "You leave my sister alone, you understand? I don't care about your stupid club and I don't care if you think you have the right to get first dibs on another living person. If Kagome-chan wishes to go after Sohma Yuki's affections, then you'll move out of the way for her."

"Now see here, Yankee—"

Sango gripped the front of her uniform. "I am not a Yankee. Never have been and never will be. However, I've known a few girls' who were. Perhaps you'd like to meet them someday. Hm, perhaps you'd like to meet them now. They might be able to change your mind about this whole 'stay away' thing."

The girl seemed frightened beyond belief. Kagome took pity on her, placing a hand on Sango's shoulder, saying, "Its alright, Sango-chan. After all, Sohma-san should have the right to decide whom he dates. If he decides to go after these girls' then I'll simply turn away."

Sango nodded, "But if he doesn't…" She smirked, tossing the other girl to the ground, before watching her scramble to her feet and rush down the hall. She crossed her arms, almost wishing she was a Yankee, or she knew any. Well, she'd heard a couple of things about that Uotani girl, but she doubted she was a Yankee anymore. Hell, she must have been one hell of an opponent if she survived a Yankee beating when she decided to quit, though.

Kagome smiled at her, and Sango smiled back. They didn't know that from that moment on Sohma Yuki and Higurashi Kagome would become good friends. Even until years later, when both of them began working for different establishments. They'd remain friends, though, until the fateful days when…

* * *

"I have heard that Yuki-kun has become friendly with a woman his age. I came to see if this was true, Shigure, nothing more." A hand reached out from a kimono, while the person merely leaned back, knowing and hating the fact that that blasted cat was still on the loose, now married to the woman, Honda Tohru, that he'd foolishly allowed to remember their family secret.

Shigure smiled, reaching up to rub at his chin. "Yes, I'm afraid that's true, Akito. Yuki-kun has been spending quite some time with a woman lately. I'm beginning to believe that he's finally fallen in love, though we all know how that will probably end; him being cursed and all."

Akito tilted his head as a small bird landed upon his fingers. "Have you met this woman, Shigure?"

Unsure if he should be loyal to Yuki, or tell Akito what he knew, Shigure frowned. He knew what would happen should he lie to Akito, though, and he nodded, saying, "Yes." He watched as the bird flew from Akito's fingertips, before turning his eyes toward him, locking him within his gaze.

"I see," Akito replied. "Tell me, Shigure, what is this woman like?"

"She is…" Shigure stopped for a moment. He grinned, "She is much like Tohru… only brighter."

"Brighter?" Akito asked.

"Yes," Shigure nodded. "Much brighter in soul and body."

"Hm…"

* * *

He stood outside the main house, wishing for another time that he could simply run away from it all. Away from his family, away from his curse, and away from that damn Akito. He'd tried so many times before, but each time he'd chickened out, unsure if he'd be able to convince Akito that Kagome wouldn't give away their family secret if they told it to her; she would simply smile when he told her, instead of being frightened like everyone else. He knew her far too well.

Hell, even Tohru, over the phone, had told him to simply try if he truly loved her. He hadn't been able to bring himself to do it. He did love her, though. He was such a coward, hiding and running from Akito in order to make sure the older Sohma didn't find out about the woman he had loved since his senior year in high school. That had been three years ago, but Kagome never complained whenever he avoided her embraces. No, she simply smiled as if she knew more than he believed, but he doubted that she did.

Kagome had always managed to surprise him, though.

He gulped, memories focusing in his mind, mainly the first time she'd ever surprised him. When she'd beat Kyo to a pulp because of a comment he'd made on her skirt—she'd tripped, causing it to rip until it was at mid-thigh; extremely short, which had nearly caused him to drool at the sight. She'd pounded Kyo much harder than he ever had, almost like Kagura, but without the _love_ behind it. Afterward she'd blushed, and glanced away when he'd laughed, almost like she was ashamed that she'd done something like that at all. If it hadn't been for Tohru's quick thinking, Kagome would have hugged Kyo to her chest pleading with him to forgive her… which would have caused that damn cat to transform like the idiot he was. It was still a lovely memory, though, and he was glad it was his own.

There'd been another time when she'd nearly pounded Shigure because of his perverted mouth. However, though he'd seen her pound Kyo at least two times by then because of things he'd said to her, she'd turned away from Shigure and asked him to never say such a thing again. It had surprised him, especially when Shigure had smiled and agreed to never say it to **her** again, which caused Kagome to smile brighter than he'd ever seen. She'd told him afterward that Shigure was her elder, and one day he would learn that he shouldn't hit on younger girls', but until he did, she'd be glad that she'd gotten him to promise not to hit on her.

Sighing, Yuki ran his hand through his hair, wondering for a moment if what he was doing was the right thing. What if he told Kagome and simply never told Akito that he had? True, Akito would think that he was keeping something from him, but it would be easier if he ever asked Kagome to marry him. Like he _so wanted_ to do, he had the ring and everything. The only problem: he needed to ask Akito's permission to marry anyone, since he was the head of the Sohma Family.

He was not sure what Akito's reaction would be to the fact that he'd fallen in love with a woman, though. Perhaps Akito would forbid him from ever seeing her again, and he'd have to do it, or run away from the Sohma Family forever. He was afraid to do either; never seeing Kagome again would break his heart and his spirit, and running away from the only family he'd ever known would cause fear to rule his life. He needed to solve this problem, and Akito was the only way to do it.

Akito. Akito was still a mystery to him. He didn't understand why Akito wanted to lock the entire family away from the rest of the world. He always said that he was protecting them from the outside world because they would criticize them, shun them, and hate them in the end. He'd never truly believed this, but from what he'd seen, every relationship where one half didn't know about the curse, well, they all ended with hurt feelings, blanking of memories, and broken hearts… possibly even one of them being harmed physically, as well as emotionally. He was positive Kagome wouldn't be that way, she wouldn't be frightened when he transformed into a rat, nor would she walk away from him because of it. No, he was positive she'd smile and hug him to her, possibly kiss his small nose if he was transformed.

Nodding to himself, Yuki decided that Akito was the only obstacle between Kagome and him. Hell, even Hatori had come to enjoy Kagome's company whenever they were both at Shigure's home. Ayame had loved her almost as soon as he'd seen her, especially when he'd gave him that look that said, _I know what's going on. You can't hide anything from your elder brother, Yuki-kun!_ God, he hated that look. Almost every one of the Sohma Family members knew and liked Kagome… all except Akito. He was sure that Akito knew, yes, but he wasn't sure if Akito knew just how much he wanted to be with Kagome.

Akito needed to know.

He had to know.

Yuki gritted his teeth together, suddenly taking a stiff step forward. He couldn't live without Kagome. He couldn't. Surely Akito would see that, and then everything would be all right.

* * *

He stood in shock, his hands in fists as Hatori placed a hand onto his shoulder. He almost shoved the hand off, remembering Akito's hard words, cold and dark. He'd almost thought the worst, especially when Hatori had walked into the room. However, Akito's harsh words still echoed into his brain, causing him to wonder for a moment what had come over the other man. Surely what Akito had said had been said simply because he'd pleaded with him… but perhaps Akito wished for him to be happy. Perhaps Akito hadn't lied.

He'd still need to watch his back, though.

"It will be alright, Yuki," Hatori said.

"How do you know?" Yuki asked, knowing that Kagome would show up soon. He'd called her after all, telling her that it was urgent and that he needed to speak with her. Her voice had sounded worried and she'd told him she'd arrive at Shigure's as soon as she could. He was positive she'd be there soon, then…

Shigure, who was leaning against the doorway, shook his head. "Don't act so dense, Yuki-kun." He sighed, "And here I thought you had more brains that Kyo-kun. Perhaps I was wrong!"

"Shut up," Yuki snapped, watching the elder Sohma's face turn into a frown.

Hatori squeezed his shoulder, "You should be happy, Yuki. Shigure is right." He gave the younger Sohma an almost disappointed look, before saying, "Akito has approved of your choice, after all. You'll get to spend the rest of your life with Kagome if she promises not to tell anyone of our secret and doesn't show any emotion other than happiness or confusion at the knowledge of our curse."

"What if she doesn't, though?" Yuki shuddered. "Akito will have her memories erased and I'll end up watching her from a distance while she goes on with her life, never knowing that we knew each other at all."

"You're doubting sweet Kagome," Shigure asked, shock clear in his voice. He laughed then, rubbing at his chin from habit, "I can see that you've got it bad, Yuki-kun. Worrying that sweet, sweet Kagome will reject you, simply because you house the rat from the zodiac in your soul. I'm sure that Kagome will merely smile and say that she doesn't care. I have, after all, had more experience with women than you." He stopped when Yuki turned to glare at him, obviously upset with his choice of words.

Once more Hatori gripped Yuki's shoulder. However, he said nothing, memories coming to the front of his mind, some that he wished to forget with his entire being. He couldn't, though, especially when he knew the woman he loved was all right married to another man. What would be like for Yuki to watch the woman he truly loved go off in life as if they'd never met? Would he become much like himself, or would he simply retreat into himself and never allow love's evil grasp to strike to him? It would be interesting to know, but he wished the younger Sohma luck when it came to his relationship.

There was a soft pounding of shoes against the wooden flooring on the deck. It sounded like the person was also trying to take their shoes off at the same time, which caused two of the men to smile. However, the sliding door soon slid open with force, a woman rushing through the door in haste. She suddenly flung herself so that she was kneeling beside Yuki, quickly pulling up his hair and watching as he blinked at her in surprise. "Oh, Sohma-san, I got here as fast as I could! Is everything alright, you sounded so frightened over the phone?"

Yuki opened his mouth, only to find that nothing would come out, nothing at all. He gulped, his eyes widening as Kagome's face came closer to his own. He was a grown man, but he still couldn't help the fact that Kagome caused him to act like a lovesick teenager. Life was so cruel.

"Everything is fine, Kagome-san," Shigure smiled. "We merely wished for your company!"

Kagome sighed in happiness, "Is that all? Why did you sound so nervous and frightened over the phone then, Sohma-san?"

"Kag-Kagome," Yuki gasped. He usually never used her name without the usual 'san' on the end. Kagome seemed to notice this change instantly, her eyes brightening as she gazed up at him, which made him more nervous. Seeing the change in her eyes was so wonderful, yet he forced out, "Kagome, I need to tell you something."

Her face fell, "Yes, Sohma-san?"

"Kagome, I—" Yuki stopped, watching as Kagome's eyes filled with tears. He wondered for a moment what was wrong with her, before her realized how his voice must have sounded. His own face turned to sadness, realizing that she probably thought he was going to dump her in front of his family members as humiliation.

"Yes?"

Hatori nearly rolled his eyes, "We're cursed." Kagome turned her attention to him, tilted her head to the side, and Hatori was happy to see only confusion filling her bright eyes. "We're cursed with the animal spirits of the zodiac. We transform whenever someone of the opposite sex outside the Sohma Family hugs us."

Yuki tensed, watching Kagome's reaction to this knowledge. His gut twisted in fear of the worst, especially as she turned her attention back to him. Her eyelashes batted at him in obvious confusion. He wasn't prepared for when she suddenly smiled wickedly, and lunged at him. His eyes widened, as the feeling of transforming washed over his entire body.

Kagome heard the popping sound, and looked down to find that Yuki's shirt was hanging within her hands. She frowned, gasped, and looked down to find a little rat squirming out of Yuki's pants. Her lips turned upward into a smile as she scooped the rat into her hands, "Sohma-san?"

There was laughing behind her, and she turned to find Shigure leaning over while Hatori shook his head at him. Her eyes turned back to the small rat, feeling its paw touch her fingers. Its eyes blinked up at her, glittering with something that she almost thought she could name, before it disappeared. Her fingers lightly ran over the thin fur, and she nearly jumped when it began to talk.

"Yes," Yuki said.

"You can talk?" Kagome gasped in surprise, a smile brightening her face.

Yuki squeaked, "Yes. All of the Sohma Family members can talk once they transform, Kagome." He stopped for a moment, before watching as she smiled gently at him, "Is… is something wrong, Kagome?" He'd never seen her smile like that.

"No," Kagome said, tilting her head to the side. "You're just so cute!"

Yuki sweat dropped, before nodding, "I believe I've heard that before."

He felt Kagome lift him higher into the air, before rubbing her cheek against his small one. He accepted this with happiness, feeling his heart to ache at the fact that she was accepting him this way. She didn't hate him. Tears formed in Yuki's eyes, thought he had always doubted that as a rat he could cry. "Kagome?"

"Yes, Sohma-san?" Kagome muttered.

"There's something in my pocket that I wish to give you." Yuki turned his face away, hoping that she wouldn't turn him down. Hoping beyond hope that she would accept the fact that he loved her more than anyone or anything. He knew Kagome, though. He knew that she'd smile, she'd say 'yes', she'd hug him and say it over and over again.

Within moments Kagome had pulled the case from his pocket, and gazed at it in wonder. She gently laid Yuki onto her leg, before opening the box. Her fingers trembled when she finally opened it completely, her eyes glistening with tears as she turned her attention to the small rat on her knee.

"Kagome—Um, will you… m-marry me!" Yuki yelped all at once, hoping that Kagome caught it. This wasn't how he'd expected it to go. He'd wanted to kneel down on one knee and open the box gently, whispering if she'd become his wife. No, he got to yelp out his question like he was too frightened to ask. He'd have to live with it now; he didn't get a second chance.

Pulling him up to eye level once more, Kagome whispered, "You—you want to…?" She saw him nod, before gasping, "Oh, Yuki!"

In the three years that he'd known her, Yuki had never heard her use his name, instead of the usual "Sohma-san" that she always used. She was only holding him in one hand, while her other had come up to cover her mouth in happiness like she always did whenever he gave her something. She was crying now, her hand falling away to show him her smile as she suddenly nodded furiously, like she was afraid he'd change his mind at any moment.

Once again Kagome rubbed her cheek against Yuki's, "Oh, Yuki. I love you. I've loved you since I first met you."

The words almost shocked him, but Yuki merely replied, "I love you as well, Kagome. I always will."

Shigure smiled, watching as Kagome held Yuki gently within her hands, rubbing their faces together. He laughed when quite suddenly Yuki transformed back into his human body, naked as the day he was born. Kagome didn't seem to notice as Yuki's lips fell upon her own, but as soon as they pulled away from each other, Kagome glanced down and blushed. She turned away from him, Yuki obviously thinking she was refusing him while he continued to laugh.

"Um, Yuki," Kagome said.

"Y-yes, Kagome?"

"Could you… um… put your clothes on?"

_--Fin_


	11. Byakugan: Hyuuga Neji

**Kiba's Note:** Sorry, Neji might seem a little OOC. My minds been on so many other things that I wasn't quite sure how he'd react with what happens. So, I just kept writing. I apologize if that's the way he seems, I tried to keep him in character.

* * *

_**Title: **Byakugan!_

_**Summary: **She has the ability to 'borrow' another Kekkei Genkai, and by using Neji's Byakugan against him she begins her plan to capture the shinobi's heart._

**Pairing: **Neji/Kagome

**Anime: **Naruto/IY

* * *

Her hands clenched together as she leapt over another rooftop, watching him from high above, a grin forming onto her lips as she remembered her well thought out plan. There was no way to win his heart but to beat him, and beat him she would. Using his own Byakugan against him would be the perfect way of defeating him, especially since it would burrow it from his own body, thus leaving him without it. It would show Hyuuga Neji that there were those who were capable of not only being a worthy opponent, female or not, but also his girlfriend!

She stiffened, jumping behind a large piece of metal when his eyes shifted up to where she had been positioned. God, she felt like she was stalking him, but she couldn't help it. Neji would never look at her in the way she wanted him too, and if she had to defeat him in order to make sure that he did, well, she'd do it. She'd stalk him until she found the opportune moment to issue her plan. Besides, she never really liked the word 'stalk', anyway, she thought of it more as _gaining information without the boy you like knowing anytime soon_.

She sensed him move, and leaned over just enough to make sure he was no longer trying to spot anything. Once she was satisfied with that, she closed her eyes and concentrated on her chakra, her hands beginning to move with a will of their own. She'd used the hidden Kekkei Genkai of her family line in order to obtain Uchiha Sasuke's sharingan that morning, just for this reason. With the sharingan she'd be able to watch Neji from a good enough distance that he wouldn't be able to spot her unless he used his Byakugan. She was positive Sasuke would be fuming about how she'd _stolen_ his Kekkei Genkai since he couldn't use it while her jutsu was in place. She didn't like the word 'stolen', either; her family liked to call it _borrowing without permission_, though her only other family member who could have used it died a long time ago.

She shook her head furiously, _no, no, no! Don't think about that type of stuff when you're trying to catch a Hyuuga, Kagome. Come on, get in the game, girl!_ Her eyebrow twitched a little, and she locked her teeth together, _ok, I'm officially beginning to sound like my brother. …It's got to be Sasuke's fault. I must have taken on some of his boyish characteristics when I borrowed his sharingan. Yeah… that's been known to happen once or twice whenever I use too much chakra. Hm…_

Sighing to herself, Kagome looked down in order to see that Neji hadn't moved much… or so it seemed to her eyes. The sharingan was used more for copying an opponent's moves, another reason why she'd borrowed it, but it also allowed the user to see more than they originally could… almost like it was slowing down time and space. With that she could see better than she normally could, and didn't have to catch up to him so quickly.

Her feet moved forward, easily moving her from rooftop to rooftop without much trouble. Her eyes studied Neji's every move, taking them in and dividing them in order to determine what he was going to do next. Only once did she need to hide once more, and it had been really easy to simply duck down, since there'd been a nice ledge that she had been ready to jump off of. However, afterward, Kagome once again began following Neji once more, knowing that he was probably going to see his team, which consisted on Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, and TenTen. She could have argued that their sensei, Maito Gai, was a complete loon, but she wasn't going to go into that subject with herself at the moment.

She had bigger fish to fry. Not that she'd be frying… anything, actually, but… _Gah, now I'm confused! This sharingan is getting to my head. Stupid Sasuke._

Wanting to slap herself, Kagome pushed forward, knowing that sooner or later Neji would stop. He couldn't keep going on for this for the rest of the day, especially when she wanted so badly for him to get to someplace where she could confront him. He only stopped once, probably knowing that she was following him, she knew, but he continued forward nonetheless. It didn't take long for him to move into the training grounds, where the sound of clashing metal could be heard. Along with the voice of that annoying, yet funny Gai supposed rival to another jounin known as Kakashi—she'd only seen him, Kakashi, once, though.

She cheered silently to herself, moving through the tops of the tallest trees until she came to see TenTen sparing with Rock Lee. Lee could only use Taijutsu, but he was a master of it, and TenTen's weapons usually never touched him, though she was positive some had. She'd moved ahead of Neji, trying to make it seem like she wasn't following him, even if it was kind of obvious she was. Personally it didn't matter to her if it was obvious, she was going to win Neji's heart either way… in a trade off, of course.

Not long after she'd arrived the boy she'd followed moved into the area, his eyes glancing around the trees like he was searching for her. She gulped when a smirk formed on his lips as his eyes touched her hiding place, but Kagome told herself not to move. There was no way she was going to back down simply because he could use something that would allow him to see more than she could.

A smirk formed on her lips. _I'll soon take care of that_.

Just as she'd _borrowed_ Sasuke's sharingan, she was going to borrow Neji's Byakugan along with it. Using them both would use quite a bit of chakra, but she'd be able to handle it as long as she stayed clear of his hands. Without the Byakugan he wouldn't be able to fight very well in the gentle fist style, but Neji was a genius! She'd need to stay away from his hands either way, especially since she knew he knew where the chakra points were, and he'd be able to block her chakra flow with ease.

Sighing, Kagome slid down the trunk of the tree as Gai began to shout about youth and springtime. She could hear the jokes her teammates would make should they hear she had lost to Hyuuga Neji with the Kekkei Genkai she had. True, she belonged to a clan long lost to the Village Hidden in the Leaves, but her Kekkei Genkai was one of the greatest. Inuyasha and Fujita would never let her live that one done, which was exactly why she'd bring up her proposition if she should fall. She was sure Neji would take it when he couldn't use his Byakugan until she _returned_ it.

She could have the ultimate control over him! No, she would have it!

There was a small rustle in the tree next to her, causing Kagome to freeze in place, her head beginning to slowly turn to the side. Slowly she turned her head until she was staring into the face of a small creature, its beady black eyes staring at her like she had come into its territory. She gulped loudly, hoping it wasn't what she thought it was, but the long slithery body told her that it was. She tensed up further, and stared into what she thought was the depths of the evilest thing on the planet. Then, suddenly, its long forked tongue slipped from its mouth and lightly flicked her nose…

"EEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKK!"

Kagome freaked out, her hands shooting into the air as she slipped backwards. The snake shot backwards, getting ready to strike her should she frighten it any further. Unfortunately for Kagome, but fortunately for the snake, she began falling from her position. Her scream was suddenly cut off she was realized she was going to slam against a bunch of branches. She put her hands out, beginning to fall straight for the ground vertically as she heard Lee's voice shout for her to look out. Her hands were covered with silver gloves—ones that had the fingers cut down to the knuckles, but gloves nonetheless.

It was hard to do, especially with the speed she was traveling at, but Kagome's borrowed sharingan activated, an eerie silver light surrounding her hands. Her eyes began flooding with a silver color, her chakra spiking as she thought of being chased by that **huge** snake. With a grunt she hit the first branch, her hands hitting the bark and her elbows snapping into a bent position but she managed to push herself so that she could use her feet inside of her hands to stop her fall. Once she managed to do this she slammed her foot inside another branch and began moving down the tree, her mind still on the thought of that snake slithering down the tree in order to eat her!

Within moments she landed on the ground and rushed behind TenTen, the other girl probably wondering what the hell just happened. However, Kagome breathed deeply, looking behind her to make sure that devilish creature was still in the tree! Once she found it wasn't she looked around to find the others staring at her like she as nuts. She knew Lee, who was silently laughing at her behind his hand, already knowing her plan to capture Neji's heart was beginning to go down the drain.

A thought clicked into her mind as TenTen asked Lee what was so funny, before he whispered into her ear. Realization dawned on TenTen's face, but Kagome's mind was on something completely different. She needed to catch Neji off guard, and what a way this would be. Especially with him rolling his beautiful white, pupil-less, eyes at her.

She was a chuunin, after all! She should be able to catch him off guard easily enough. True, not many would have believed that everyone on her team was actually chuunin the way they acted toward one another, or the fact that she fell in love with a boy a year younger than herself, but that didn't matter to her. Only that she needed to make him see the things she saw.

Rising from her fallen position, Kagome began rubbing at her backside. There was no pain or anything, since she'd slid behind TenTen into that position, but she didn't want them to know that. Once she was sure Neji was no longer paying attention to her she turned her eyes onto him, a wicked smile forming on her lips as her eyes flashed silver in color. Instantly the blue eyes she had faded and silver replaced them, her chakra hidden from the boy not paying attention to her. Her hand glowed with the same eerie silver light as before, and she placed it palm up at her side as she watched him closely.

"This is a waste of time," Neji said, beginning to walk away. He knew he shouldn't have come today. Training with Lee and Gai-sensei was annoying enough, but he didn't need weak little kunoichi falling out of trees after they'd followed him all the way from the Hyuuga District. Really, did the girl think she could hide her presence? Oh, he'd heard of the heir of the lost Higurashi Clan, but Higurashi Kagome obviously wasn't one of their best apples.

_Now!_ The others were watching her; each one of them wondering what she was doing since the silver around her hand was being hidden from them. Her feet were soundless as she began running at Neji, and she launched herself off the ground, the air around her crackling as Neji finally sensed her and turned to see what was happening. She was moving too fast for him, though, and her hand found its mark on across his eyes before he could do anything. It was like slow motion as she shouted, "Transfer!"

She, of course, didn't need to shout this for the ability to be given to her, but she liked doing it. It was like her trademark saying… besides the choice words that she said to Inuyasha each day.

Neji grunted, feeling her hand move away from his face. He wondered for a moment what she'd done, but he opened his eyes instead of asking her, since he was worried she might have actually done something. Everything seemed the same when he opened them, though, and he seemed to growl at her. "That was useless," he grunted. "Did you actually think something like that would affect me?"

"Fight me, Neji," Kagome said, pulling out a kunai and twirling it on her finger.

Neji straightened, "Fighting you would be pointless."

"That's where you're wrong," Kagome, gripping the kunai handle, said. Her illusion fell from her hand, and she swung it in front of his face, the silver color leaving a sparkle in the air. A smirk formed on her lips, as she proudly said, "Sharingan!"

"Huh?"

Her eyes turned red, the sharingan swirling with them as her smirk grew. "That's not all I can do, Neji." She lifted her hand, placed it onto her eyes, and whispered something beneath her breath. The silver of her hand brightened, but dimmed after a moment, and she pulled her hand away to show him the new ability she'd gained.

Neji stiffened, "How did you…?"

Her eyes were completely white. "Don't worry, Neji. You look good with blue eyes." She smiled, "I merely used the Kekkei Genkai passed down throughout my family in order to borrow your own. It's nothing to worry about. You'll either get it back when I give it back to you, or when it wears off, which will be in about five days." Once more she shrank into her battle stance, "Now, fight me!"

Neji moved backwards when she launched herself at him, her hands outstretched once more. He wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice, and he growled when he felt like he was empty. Like he was no longer a Hyuuga, even if he hated the main branch. He blocked her first attack, a simply kick to his head. With as much force as she'd used, Neji moved and went to counter her next attack, but something stopped him; the bulging of her eyes.

"BYAKUGAN!" Kagome allowed her eyes to change, before smirking. She'd never learned the true names to the abilities her Kekkei Genkai had, but she flicked her ponytail, having put it up that morning, and brought her hand up in front of her face. "Combine!"

The others watched as suddenly red pupils formed within Kagome's eyes, black figures spinning around it. The rest remained white, the sharingan and Byakugan having combined together to create a better and more powerful combination. It was amazing to see, even if Neji seemed to be shaking with rage at the fact that she'd done such a thing. They watched as Kagome threw the kunai that she was holding and it managed to cut into Neji's arm, even if he moved away from it. Obviously he was having trouble without his eyes.

Kagome wasn't done yet. She pushed herself off the ground, and brought her fingers up once more to begin making hand signs. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu," she said. It was just another thing she'd borrowed when she'd borrowed Sasuke's sharingan. She didn't know how she'd done it, since she could usually only borrow a person's Kekkei Genkai, but she'd borrowed the knowledge and experience needed to perform the jutsu either way.

Neji moved out of the way, before sliding on his foot to ready himself to attack her. His chakra rose, but before he could even move a boy in green spandex jumped between them. The girl's fire had struck the ground where Lee was now standing, and he breathed deeply. "Why are you interfering, Lee?"

She landed gracefully onto the ground, her arm crossing as she looked at Lee's back. She'd wanted to at least knock Neji down and pin him there in order to tell him her suggestion. However, the battle tension died as Lee began to explain his reasoning. Before he could get very far, though, Kagome moved to his side and touched his shoulder, causing him to stop in mid-sentence.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome coughed a little. "I have a proposition for you, Neji," she said. She knew Lee was smiling at her, but she ignored the boy for the moment, watching as Neji straightened, obviously waiting for her answer. He'd always put others down, but she was sure she could make him do as she wished.

"Well," Neji asked.

"I will give you back your Byakugan if you have lunch with me," Kagome said, crossing her arms stubbornly. She wasn't going to back down.

"And why would I do that?"

"Because," Kagome smirked, "I can just give my current ability to Lee here." She patted Lee's shoulder. "And when four days pass I can return it to myself, thus strengthening the time to keep it, which will cause you to have to wait longer, until I give it to another person and continue the process for the rest of my life." She laughed, "Maybe a waste of my time, but it will teach you the lesson of a woman's fury."

TenTen smiled, before shaking her head a little when Neji seemed to snort "Fine". She knew for a fact the boy was lying to himself. He'd met Kagome a few times before, and he'd once admitted that he wanted to do something with her, he just didn't know how to approach an older shinobi, especially one that was higher in rank. After being told by Lee that Kagome wanted the same thing she was positive that from that moment on they wouldn't leave each others side. As soon as Neji decided that he wasn't better than them, and that though he was a genius he didn't have to act like the caged bird he seemed like.

TenTen smiled as Kagome cheered, Neji waited to have his Kekkei Genkai returned, and Lee hugged Gai-sensei. It was still funny that Kagome had fallen from the tree that she'd positioned herself in. Especially since she'd heard that Kagome was as graceful as a cat, and managed to pull herself out of even the tightest fix. Her smile grew, as she thought, _Kagome must have saw a snake._

_--Fin_


	12. Forbidden Emotions: Sesshoumaru

_**Title:** Forbidden Emotions_

_**Summary: **She knew she shouldn't have, but she fell in love with a creature from another world, the world of land and breathing. Not only that, but he was much, much more, because he was a demon as well. It was forbidden, but she wanted him._

**Pairing:** Sesshoumaru/Kagome

**Anime:** Inuyasha (IY)

* * *

She moved swiftly, her form a streak of silver and blue as she moved through the dark water of the ocean. A trail of black and green moved behind her, while a glittering white could be seen strung throughout the color, also adorning the top of her hair. Her arms were thrust out in front of her, her eyes narrowed against the hard current as she eyed the creature she was following. It moved quickly, but she pushed herself through the water more quickly than before, knowing that she'd catch the creature one way or another. Upon her father's orders she had to; upon the orders of the Council she had to; upon the orders of the King she had to—simply because she was the best at tracking those who needed help, or refused to comply with the rules surrounding her home.

It seemed almost unfair in a way to her. Why one of her sister's could not go in her stead was beyond her mind? However, chasing, catching, and dragging other creatures' home was something that surrounded her whole life, however long it had been. She could not remember her last day of coming, simply that she'd come into the world over four hundred years ago. Merpeople lived long lives; almost as long as creatures' she'd heard of from other mermen and women, creatures' that lived on land, breathed air, and called themselves demons. Creatures' that controlled powers no one else would ever be able to muster throughout even what merpeople called bubbling. The bubbling caused creatures' to grow into new ones that could do things the old creature could not. That was, until they either destroyed themselves, or died, thus popping like bubbles did.

Her eyes became slits against the current, as she pushed herself harder, telling herself that she couldn't give up. They were nearing a coast, and it was hard to swim without other, breathing, creatures' seeing her. It was forbidden to allow more than a glimpse to be seen, even though there was nothing those breathing creatures' could do. They needed air, while the merpeople could live outside of water for few days without completely drying out. As long as there was water nearby they could live on land, but not for very long on hot days, only on cold ones that the breathing creatures' called winter.

Tired of her game, she thrust her arm upward, calling upon the spirit inside of the seaweed her target had foolishly swam into. She twisted her arms around together, silent words streaming from her mouth and into the plants she wished to control. They seemed to wave at first, before they suddenly jumped and tangled themselves around the creature she needed to capture. The creature struggled, trying to swim away, but continued moving its silver tail in order to breathe the water it needed, while the current swept past it doing the same. When she got closer, though, the creature began thrashing again, obviously angry with her.

She swam next to the creature, patted his rough skin, and silently told him that everything would be all right. However, this did nothing to calm him, thus he continued to thrash about. "Calm yourself, Swift the Shark," she said. Her lips never moved, but the words seemed to fill the area around them, the shark's black eyes staring at her in anger.

He bared his razor sharp fangs. "Let me go, merwench," he growled. He struggled against his bindings once more, "I have done nothing wrong. Tell me, wench, what crime have I committed."

She sighed, reached up to her hair and pulled out what looked to be the imprint of a starfish. She thrust it into the shark's face, before continuing, "Under the order of the Council you must be brought back for questioning. It is said that three days ago you were found chasing after a youngling. You know as well as all sharks' that you're not allowed to attack the merpeople, or you will face execution by your own."

"There are many who look like me, merwench," Swift snarled. "How do you and the Council know it was truly me? It could have been any one of my siblings."

She shook her head. "I'm afraid that is untrue, Swift. The Council was given a name, and unfortunately it was yours. Once you're questioned we will see what we can do in order to make sure you do not go through execution. However, should this get back to your own before then… you will be consumed by your own brothers, as is the law."

"I know the law, merwench, and I have not broken it," he replied. He struggled again against his binding, only to find that her soothing hand was placed upon his hide. He knew that he had not done such a thing. He knew the law. Any shark that tried to take a bite out of a mermen's tail was doomed to execution, thus he stayed far away from their domain. It seemed that there were those who did not understand that, but because of his struggling the merwench was beginning to suspect that he merely wished to escape the fate he might be given.

She nodded, "If you have done nothing, then you will return with me without fighting, or fleeing." She stopped, running her hand over his rough skin for a moment. "Should you try it will lead us all to believe you were the one who tried and we will hunt you down in order to kill you. It will not matter of the law by then, for it will be out of everyone's hands."

He growled, "What is your name, merwench?"

"Kagome," she smiled.

Swift gave a slight growl of understanding, before allowing his snarl to disappear from his mouth. "Very well, Ka-go-me. Release me and I shall return with you." He watched her silently as she began moving her arms, calling upon the spirits once more to release him. He could not help but wonder why they sent this one after him, even if he had done nothing, since she did not seem like the others. It was strange to find such a happy looking merwoman, since most of them looked solemn and forlorn.

Not that she was unlike most of her people, though. She was beautiful, like most of them. Her hair was black, but had strands of green seaweed strung throughout it, but seemed to have a sheen of dark blue as well. Her face was like the others, beautiful, regal, and perfectly shaped. Her body was slim and curved like any of the merwomen he'd seen throughout his days. Her womanly parts were covered by something that must have come from the surface. It was blue in color and looked to be tied in the back, but was made of a strange material he'd never seen… except on land walkers. Her tail was a silver color, which matched her eyes. It too was perfectly shaped, the silver scales in all the right places. If he had been a merman then he would have fallen in love, but alas he was a shark, and sharks do not understand such emotions very well.

She watched as the seaweed fell from his form, once more waving in the current while Swift began swimming forward. Instead of speeding off like she expected him too, he made a wide circle and returned to her side, only to begin swimming with her. It was unusual for a shark to do such a thing, but she expected that he had truly done nothing, which was the reason why he was following her…

She gasped.

He started, swimming a little faster, before making a few circles. He needed to stay in constant motion, or he'd die. "What is it now, merwench?" he growled.

"We're so close to the surface," she whispered.

"Have you never been to the surface?" he asked. He watched as she shook her head. "We're close to the edge of a place where land walkers dwell, as well. There are said to be demons' amongst them, but I have never seen one."

"Demons?" Kagome asked. She touched the shark's side. "Oh, how I would like to see one. I have never been to the surface on order of my Father. He said that should I be seen many land walkers would come to capture me, perhaps succeed and I'd never see our home again."

"So, you're forbidden," Swift chuckled. He swam around her, grinning, "Rules are meant to be broken, you know."

Kagome gave a sad look. "Father is King, though. Disobeying his word could… could…"

"Get you killed?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I am meant to marry and allow my husband to take Father's place one day. Should I not obey that order Father would become very, very angry. His anger is not often seen, but I know Father. Should I ever go to the surface… Swift? Swift?" She looked around, only to find the shark swimming toward the land. "Swift!"

"Come now, Ka-go-me," Swift chuckled. "Your father might be King but he is not here now. Rules can be broken, and sometimes they have consequences, but I believe these things are foolish. After all, not doing something, and being told not to do something can make you wish to do it." He continued forward, "Come now, little one. Even if you're seen, they shall not be able to swim as long, as fast, nor as deep, as one such as you can."

"But—"

"Will you forever be an obedient child who does nothing more than what her daddy says? Surely you do not wish to forever be within his shadow, hoping every second of the day that he will allow you to do something you wish to do?" Swift asked. "Surely that is not what you want? With your father not here you should be able to decide whether you'll forever hide beneath the water, or if you'll go to the surface and see what walks on land."

With a deep frown, Kagome began following the shark, her tail moving up and down in order to move her forward. It did not take long for the surface to come into focus completely, a strip of dry land could be seen just through the water, along with something green. Darker than the seaweed, but lighter than the darkest tail she'd ever seen. Her hand reached out to grab Swift's fin, knowing by far that the shark could swim faster than her if he wanted to. However, through a current he had had no change, which brought a small smirk to the corner of her lips.

Swift slowed his pace, allowing the girl to swim ahead of him. He watched the surface carefully, knowing that any land walker could jump out of the green things he'd once heard from a crab were called trees. Now, he normally did not listen to crabs, since they did not understand the things land walkers said very clearly, but he'd believed that. It seemed like some strange thing land walkers would come up with.

Carefully, so not to disturb anything, and possibly not be seen, Kagome rose above the surface. Her head peeked out, the string of pearls within her hair rising first, before she finally rose high enough to allow her eyes to move above the surface. She turned herself so that she could look further out into the water, before a sound reached her, and she turned back. What she saw caused her to sink a little further into the water. On the land was a little girl with a green looking creature that carried a staff. They looked harmless, but she knew that even the harmless looking creature could be dangerous.

She watched them, before dunking herself back into the water once the girl began playing with it. She smiled, before moving to the side of the shark making circles. She grinned at him.

"You saw something, did you?" he asked.

She nodded, her hands clasped together. "Yes, yes! A little girl without a tail, but with two things, which I have once heard, were known as le… le… legs. With her was this little green creature with a beak and a staff that was not made of rock. Oh, Swift, are all land walkers like that?"

"No," he chuckled. "They come in many shapes and sizes. Many forms, some beautiful, some ugly, and some average. Never seen a green one, though. Must have been a demon."

"A demon…?" she whispered. She looked toward the surface.

"Go on, now," Swift grinned. "You know you want to. Don't be shy."

Kagome moved toward the surface once more. Her silver tail moved once more to bring her to the surface. With a suddenly burst of energy she did something she knew she shouldn't have done. She sped upward, burst through the surface, and quickly dove back down into the water. Once done, she moved further outward, far enough that she knew she'd be able to see them, but they would not be able to see her. At that moment she rose above the surface to see the girl clapping her hands together, while the little green creature yelled something. She could not hear, but saw a rock nearby, which she swam to and hide behind.

"Master Jaken, Master Jaken, did you see that?" the girl called.

The thing known as Jaken grumbled, before saying, "It was only a fish, Rin. Nothing to get excited about. Besides, there are many of them within this water. Some that are more dangerous than others."

"Dangerous, Master Jaken?" Rin asked.

"Yes!" Jaken yelled. "Why once, I saw a human get his… Rin?" He looked around, only to find the girl had begun playing the water once more. "Why do I even try?" he sighed. He watched the girl move further into the water, before yelling, "Rin! Rin, you stupid girl, don't go out that far! Lord Sesshoumaru will have my head if you—"

"Jaken."

The voice was cold, emotionless, and demanded that all around listen and listen well. Kagome turned her eyes to the new figure, her eyes widening when she saw the white figure moving toward the green thing and the little girl. He was tall, much taller than even her father, and wearing a white outfit that seemed to blend with his silver hair. When he turned to look out over the water she saw that his eyes were hard, cold, but pure gold, and there were marking on his regal face; two stripes on his cheeks, and a moon shape on his forehead. Something in her chest began to pound, ache almost, as she leaned forward to see that he had claws and fangs, things that she'd only seem on land walking animals, not ones that talked.

She bit her lip, and sank beneath the water as she heard his beautiful voice say, "Jaken, we're leaving." Within moments she frowned, her hands coming up to hold her cheeks as she though of what she'd just done. She was sure that creature was a demon, she was sure of it. He'd seen different from the little girl, which led her to believe he was a demon. However, her hand clenched her chest, and she suddenly felt a something rise from her cheeks toward the surface.

It was impossible. Her chest felt like it was going to burst; yet at the same time it felt warm and different. Like whenever she thought of her dead Mother, but in a different way. Her Father had once told her it was because she loved her Mother. Surely she couldn't love that demon! Surely it could not be true.

It was forbidden to fall in love with a land walker! Her Father's words continued to ring throughout her head. Falling in love with a land walker was forbidden because there was no way for the ones living underneath the water to live with those walking on land. Yet, a piece of her didn't care. A piece of her told her that she'd come back within a few days, against her Father's words and orders, in order to watch for the demon known as Sesshoumaru.

"Have you had your fill, little one?" Swift asked. He looked into the face of the merwoman and wondered what was wrong with her. He'd never seen one look like that. She seemed like she was trying to deny something, yet at the same time she wished to go through with it. He couldn't even begin to imagination what she was truly thinking.

Kagome nodded, "Yes." The gills on her neck took in water, while the small fins on the side of her wrists moved with her as she gently swam toward the shark. "Yes, I believe I have. I believe its time we return now, Swift. After all, they'll probably think you've eaten me if we wait any longer."

The shark moved swiftly, like his name said he could, and got into the face of the merwoman. "Are you alright, young one?"

She smiled. "Yes." Her hand came up to clench in front of her chest, before she gripped the shark's fin. "Lets go now."

The shark didn't seem to be convinced, but he began swimming deeper into the water nonetheless. He didn't see Kagome look longingly back toward the surface, nor did he know that the next day she would return there in order to wait for the demon in white. Swift merely moved forward, knowing that once they reached the kingdom where her people lived they'd be asked many questions. Many questions that would annoy him, but that Swift had to answer in order to clear his name; that was what started this little side journey, after all.

_--Fin_


	13. The Soul Giving Alchemist: Edward Elric

_**Title:** The Soul Giving Alchemist_

_**Summary:** He met her through the military, and was nearly killed by her soulless creatures. They called her the Soul Giving Alchemist because she could create moving animals out of raw materials, but they're soulless, they don't breathe, and they don't live… so why was she given her name? Will Edward get his answer?_

**Pairing:** Edward/Kagome

**Anime:** FullMetal Alchemist/IY

* * *

"Al get out of here!" he shouted, quickly rolling to the side as the black creature snarled and shuddered. It was like nothing he'd ever seen before. It was larger than a dog, yet held a slight resemblance to one, while its swirling gray eyes watched him carefully, its black lip lifting to show off a row of deadly looking fangs. He didn't know what it was, but he knew that it was dangerous, and it had already taken a chuck out of his auto-mail.

"But brother," Alphonse gasped. He watched his elder brother take another blow from the creature's sharp fangs, it ripping into the blade his brother had created. Alchemy was doing nothing; even the stonewall he'd created had been crushed by the creature. It was almost like it was indestructible, even though it didn't seem to breathe, which he knew because it was cold, his brother's exhaling created small puffs of mist, while nothing formed before the creature's snout. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to back down that was for sure.

Edward hissed, slammed his hands against the ground, and watched the stone beneath the creature's feet reach out and create a tomb around its legs. He turned his head toward his brother, whose soul was still trapped within a suit of armor, and shouted, "I said get out of here!"

"Bro—"

"Now, Al!" Edward shouted. His brother seemed frightened and hesitant, but after sending him another glare, Alphonse finally nodded and began running the other way. He was glad that his brother would be safe, but he still hoped that he was true to his word when Alphonse yelled something about getting help. Not that it concerned him when the creature snarled, and struggled against the stone wrapped around its legs.

Edward smirked, thinking that he'd finally stopped the creature in its tracks. It continued to struggle before his eyes, which led him to believe it wouldn't be able to escape from its current imprisonment. He flicked his braid over his shoulder, it having fallen over his shoulder during the battle. When he closed his eyes in order to rub at his temples, though, there was another growl, more menacing than anything he'd ever heard before. He opened his eyes and looked at the other creature that suddenly stepped out of the shadows, as he spat, "What the hell?"

A cracking sound filled his ears, causing him to turn his attention back to the original creature. His eyes widened as he watched it break through the prison he'd created around its legs. Once done, it moved toward him, causing Edward to stumble back a little. The creature that had escaped his stone prison was much bigger than the second one, and a bit lighter in color. Its eyes were gray, while the seconds were blood red. Both, he noticed, weren't breathing.

That meant they weren't alive. This confused the hell out of him. How could they move and make sounds like they were if they weren't alive? How was it possible? Everything he'd ever known was thrown out the window by merely seeing these two creatures. Especially when the second one finally lunged at him, the first continuing to snarl from a short distance away.

Edward quickly slammed his hands together, and pulled away, the alchemy he'd used creating another blade on his auto-mail. Before he could thrust the weapon out toward the creature, though, it struck his left leg. He cried out, his mouth opening to let out a short scream as the fangs sank into his flesh. They weren't as long as the first creature's, but they were long enough to draw blood, and possibly take his leg if it wanted. He didn't even have time to stab the fucking thing in the head because the first creature barked, causing the second one to back away from him, head down and tail between its legs.

Blood dripped from his wound; Edward could feel it sliding down his leg and leaking into his clothing. He'd been through worse, though, and he watched the two creatures growl and bark between themselves. It was then he noticed that his watch was hanging from his pocket, the chain slipping longer and longer with each moment. He reached down to place it back into his pocket while the first creature finally rose up, its ears erect, and its fangs shining in the light of the moon.

His leg ached beneath his weight, and he staggered a little when the first creature suddenly came flying at him, its claws clicking against the stone beneath it. He thought he saw his life flash before his eyes, and the creature lunged right in front of him, its mouth opening in order to rip out his throat… Edward closed his eyes, wishing for a quick death, and also hoping that Alphonse was able to find the Philosophers Stone one day and get his body back…

"That is enough," came a soft voice.

Edward shuddered; gently opening his eyes to find the large creature was only centimeters from taking his throat out. Without moving he watched the creature lean backwards on its hunches, before finally dropping to all fours and moving away from him. Its tail snapped against his leg, causing him to wince a little.

"Hm. It seems you did quite well in your design, Kagome," came an all too familiar voice. Edward turned his eyes to find Roy Mustang standing with a slightly shorter woman who was staring up at him. She gave a curt nod, and patted the creature's head when it sat at her feet. Mustang turned his eyes so that he was staring at him, before a small smirk formed on his lips, "Perhaps you should put more time into practicing, instead of chasing after homunculus, Edward."

"What the hell's going on here?" Edward gasped.

Roy's smirk grew, "I heard you were in town, and Kagome here needed to test out her latest creation. I thought that perhaps you'd be able to stand up to one of them, but I guess I put too much faith in you, Full Metal."

The woman took a step forward, "You're the Full Metal Alchemist?" Her voice was soft, quieter than most, but seemed to almost echo through the alleyway.

"Yeah," Edward winced. "You got a problem with that?"

"No," she smiled. "I merely imagined you… taller."

He tensed, "Are you calling me short?"

She nodded.

"I'M NOT SHORT, YOU HEAR ME!" he shouted, waving his arms in the air. He hated when people called him short. He hated it!

She smiled brighter, "I'm afraid you're right, Full Metal. You're not short. However, you're shorter than I am." She leaned down onto one knee and patted the creature's head when it nudged her shoulder. Her hand ran over what looked to be fur, though it felt like cold stone. "And that, Full Metal, is fact."

He grumbled under his breath.

"I believe introductions are in order," Roy coughed. "Edward, this is Kagome, our Soul Giving Alchemist. Kagome, Edward." He watched Kagome bow her head, before she went back to petting her creation, their noses rubbing together as she cooed.

Edward rubbed at his leg, "Isn't that thing dangerous?"

"Maybe to you," Roy explained. "However, Kagome is its creator. It is the same way with animals, Edward. Imagine raising a dog. Should you treat it with respect, love, and care for it, it will become your best friend. Kagome treats her creatures the same way, even if they're not actually living."

He was confused. "How is she the Soul Giving Alchemist, then?" He looked to the creature Kagome was petting, while the other whined at her, trying to draw her attention toward it. "Do they have souls?"

"No," came Kagome's answer. "They're not alive, Edward. They do not breathe, they do not eat, and they do not need anything in order to survive. The only thing they need is I, and I will be here for as long as I can be. They have no souls." Her eyes darkened, "But who are we to determine what has a soul and what does not? We are said to have souls, but do we truly know what happens when we die. No. There could be just eternal darkness. Yet we do not know. We just automatically think we are the greater creature, therefore we have souls." She grabbed the creature's snout in her hand and shook its head a bit to each side.

"Then why…" Edward stopped.

She stood suddenly, before smiling down at the two creatures. "I believe you two owe Edward here an apology." The creature's whined as she continued, "Go on, now, Fang. Shadow." She watched them move to Edward's side, and begin nudging at his clothing. The boy was tense, obviously not understanding how the two vicious creatures he remembered were suddenly as soft and loving as puppies.

Edward gently reached out, as the first creature shoved his head into his hand. It rubbed its head against his palm, before the other one before tugging lightly at his jacket, obviously wishing to get attention as well. However, he turned his attention to the now silent woman, "Why are you called the Soul Giving Alchemist?"

Roy shook his head, "I don't believe that's something Kagome wishes to answer, E—"

Kagome thrust her arm out. "No. If he wishes to know then he may," she said. "Have you ever seen the other side, Edward? I imagine you have the way you use alchemy without creating even a circle." Her smile turned a little cross, "I've seen the other side. I've seen it more than once. They gave me this, this _ability_ to create almost living creatures, as long as I give them living souls in return. However, I must also give them something else in order to make it so that nonliving creatures can move, and speak."

"Speak?" he blinked.

"Oh, yes," Kagome laughed. "They cannot say much, but they can speak should I tell them too. Like children, really. In order to do this I had to give up something in return. Fang was created when I managed to capture a wolf and used its living soul within my… well; lets not get into that at the moment. Perhaps another time. However, in order to create him I needed to give up something else, which I did. I sang while I created him, and I gave some of my blood. This connects him to me. Shadow was different. I used a living cat, instead of a dog creature. It was during the day that I did it. I made sure to stand so that my shadow was within the mixture, which gave him his name in the end."

Her eyes turned wild, "It's a rather bloody mess should I accidentally do it wrong." She began to laugh, before she quite suddenly coughed, blood spitting from between her lips. The two creatures she'd created quickly moved back to her side, while Roy placed himself so that she was leaning against him. It was then that she smiled once again at Edward, "Please, excuse me, Edward. I'm afraid that I have," she coughed again, "used too much energy."

Edward merely stood there in shock.

She patted Roy's arm, "Would you be ever so kind, Mustang?"

Edward watched as they began walking away from him, toward the other end of the alley, while Kagome said something about meeting again sometime. He continued to stand there, his leg still bleeding until finally Alphonse returned to his side. He didn't know how long it was; he just knew that after it was all over he was quite light headed.

"Are you alright, brother?"

Edward nodded and smiled, "Yeah, Al. I'm gonna be just fine once my leg heals. Don't worry about it."

"That's great, brother," Alphonse said. "But, what happened to those creatures?"

Edward smiled further, "Their master came and took them away."

_--Fin_


	14. When You Need Him: Miroku

_**Title:** When You Need Him_

_**Summary:** When she needed him, he was no longer there. She didn't expect for someone who'd been right beside her the whole time to show up when it happened, though. Especially when they were both grieving._

**Pairing:** Miroku/Kagome

**Anime:** Inuyasha (IY)

* * *

Her heart pounded against her chest. She knew that she should return home, but she couldn't bring herself to leave the beautiful, open, wonderful world that she'd come to know as the Sengoku Jidai. True, there were so many advantages from coming from the future, but she didn't care about that. No, only that she would have to leave the past because the fight was over –

- The shimmering of the Shikon no Tama around her neck proved that.

There were other things that proved it was all over, as well. Their group used to contain three humans, two youkai, and one hanyou. Now, _now_, there were only two humans, and one youkai. Even though they had strength, loyalty, and love on their side of the field many of their comrades still fell. Many that could have made wonderful contributes' to the world around them, if only they survived. It was not possible to change the past, and it was not possible for her to wish such a selfish thing on the Shikon no Tama, thus they remained dead.

It was terrible to think about, but that was why she sat beneath the ancient tree known as the Goshinbuko. It had always helped her whenever she needed it, at least when it came to the soul. Her mother had once told her that the tree had helped her decide whether to marry her father or not, and she believed, now, that the tree would be able to help her sort her thoughts and put the past behind her. After all, she couldn't allow these things to forever hurt her.

_I feel so lonely_, raced through the back of her mind. She tried to deny this, but she knew it was true. No matter how many times she told herself, it would always be true. Kikyo, Kouga, Sesshoumaru, Shippo, Kin, Rin, Jaken, Sango… and Inuyasha had died during the battle. They all fell, even though some of them she had once thought would never be able to be pierced by Naraku's hands. Like Sesshoumaru, the Western Lord, and like Kin, the powerful elemental-youkai that had wanted to become Sango's student, though it had not been to become a taijiya.

It had been an accident that Shippo, Rin, and Jaken died. Somehow Naraku's newest, now defeated, incarnation managed to get control over Ah-Un, Sesshoumaru's dragon mount. The dragon had turned itself so that it was attack the ones it was protecting, all because her barrier around them had wavered for only a moment. The barrier had stopped the sound from getting in and out, thus no one even heard them scream. It had been an accident, but if her barrier hadn't have been up then they would have heard their screams and saved them, destroying the dragon and commanding them to go to safety.

Sango had also been an accident. She'd thrown her mighty boomerang, Hiraikotsu, and got ready to catch it when one of Naraku's tentacles managed to knock her to the ground. She'd been watching in that moment as once again Naraku's incarnation turned its dull, sea green, eyes toward her. Sango had then moved so that she was standing beside Miroku as he used his Kazaana, and shouted for Sango to get out of the way. However, Naraku had knocked Sango down once more, so that she was directly in front of Miroku's attack, and sucked inside before he was able to close it.

Kouga had been the next to be controlled by the incarnation Naraku had called "Tanaka", since it had been a female. He'd attacked Kin, who'd been keeping the large amount of youkai Naraku had called his army occupied. Their battle had been intense, since Kin had tried to merely knock the ookami to the ground, but with no results, since Tanaka seemed to have more fighting tactics than Kouga ever did. She hadn't been able to swing an arrow into her bow fast enough. By the time she'd pulled back the bowstring, Kouga had already managed to strike a fatal blow through Kin's chest, ending the elemental-youkai's life. Her fingers had slipped and the arrow went flying toward Kouga, and turned him to dust.

Kikyo and Inuyasha died together. While she was near Sesshoumaru, trying to help him in his reach toward Naraku, having six arrows left at the time, Kikyo had somehow managed to walk straight through. Inuyasha had already been battling with the evil hanyou when Kikyo arrived, and she wasn't sure what happened next. The only thing she remembered was turning her head in order to see a wriggling tentacle straight through Inuyasha's heart, and into Kikyo's.

Miroku had been in the background, battling with Kouga's comrades, who'd wanted Naraku's blood even more when Kouga had been taken over and then killed. That was what saved his life, in the end. Kirara had come to his rescue when one of Kouga's comrades struck at him, controlled by Tanaka. The fire-neko had roared, and positioned them so that Miroku could once again use his Kazaana, sucking Tanaka straight into the void, which she did not struggle against.

Kagura and Kanna had turned against Naraku during the beginning of the battle, and both their lives were ended quickly. She'd known they would not have to worry about them when they finally reached a distance to battle Naraku. What she'd forgotten about at the time, though, was the small boy-looking incarnation, Hakudoushi. As soon as they got into position he attacked, blaming Sesshoumaru for the death of his horse-youkai, Entei. They'd fought while she searched for a shot at Naraku's heart, right where his piece of the Shikon had lain.

She'd pulled the bowstring… and she'd heard the splattering of blood… She'd thought that it was Hakudoushi that had been struck, thus she cheered mentally for Sesshoumaru, a youkai she'd come to see as a brother. She'd shot the arrow, and it struck Naraku. She'd been blinded by the flash of light, and happy when she found that Naraku was dead, but horrified when she turned to find Sesshoumaru _kneeling_ on the ground, blood dripping from a wound in his chest. Hakudoushi lay facedown near his form, and she'd watched him suddenly inhale sharply, and then fall toward the ground. She'd raced to his side, and amazingly he'd smiled at her, mumbling something about how nice her shot was—something so unlike him—before he glared at her, and whispered, "Don't cry" causing her to realize that she had been.

With a shaking hand he'd pushed himself so that he was on his back, and reached up to pull a scroll from his robes. He'd given it to her, something about the Western Lands being protected by another, someone by the name of Hiroshi. Then… he died. Right in front of her eyes, and though he had tried to kill her when she'd first met him, she cried over him before Miroku came to her.

That was three weeks ago.

She gave a small, shaking, breath, and looked up from her position. The forest around her was so quiet for so long that she hadn't noticed the change. However, when she looked up, she found a youkai standing in front of her. He was not horizontally challenged, that was for sure, with long golden hair and shimmering black eyes. Below his right eye was a small claw looking marking, also black in color. His regal face held a smirk, and she instantly gasped, realizing what that glimmer in his eyes was.

"Well, what do we have here?" he chuckled. "The Shikon Miko, all alone without her protector. Wearing clothing that not even a whore would be caught dead in. You're just asking to be fucked, aren't you?"

Kagome tensed, watching his smirk widen. She shook her head, knowing that her vocals had not had time to heal properly since the battle. Even if she tried, no one would even hear her scream. It was a terrible position to get herself stuck in, especially when she did not even have her bow and arrows with her. Nor the sword she'd been given by Totosai.

His hand tugged at his haori, "I sensed the power of the jewel, but I didn't expect to find such a lovely woman along with it. Shame you're human. I'll have to kill you after playing with you, and then I'll take the Shikon and wish upon it, bringing my greatest desires to me." His smirk turned into a full grin, "One of those desires will be to have you brought back to life, a demoness in form, yet still as lovely, just the same. However, that depends on how much you please me."

He sniffed the air, "Ah. The pure scent of a virgin mixed with her fear. Do not worry, girl, I shall be gentle with you. After all, I do not wish to break you too much before I'm done. Why would I destroy such a lovely creature, when I could play with you for hours until I'm done?" He waited, and waited, his eyes narrowing, "Answer me when I ask you a question, bitch!"

She gasped, suddenly on her feet. She didn't know how, but her mouth opened, a small sound coming out as she tried to move around the tree and deeper into the forest, but his keen eyes watched her closely. She knew she would not be able to get away from him fast enough, and that he'd be able to chase her down should she run. She had no chance in trying to purify him. She'd convinced herself that she was second best to Kikyo, her powers weren't that great, and that the fact that she'd destroyed Naraku was just a small bit of luck. She'd completely convinced herself of this, since her powers remained dormant, even though she tried again and again to call upon them, her heart aching because she knew the things that kept her from using them at the moment were true.

His anger faded, "I see. You cannot speak. Shame, that is. I wished to hear your voice as I fucked you, but not every wish can come true. Only one, and you're holding the item that will give me that wish." Within a flash he was before the stunned miko, smirking down at her as his arms wrapped around her, and his fingers instantly found themselves where they could knead her backside. A rosy blush rose to her cheeks, and he purred, "Yes. You like that, don't you, bitch?"

Kagome struggled against his grasp, trying to dislodge herself from his arms. However, the youkai male was much stronger than she was, and she began to weep, her eyes flooding over with tears. She noticed his change, as he sneered down at her in disgust.

"Do not cry, wench," he growled. She cried harder, the smell of salt burning his nose, his eyes, and causing his mind to ache a little. It did nothing to stop his arousal, for he still wished to taste her virgin flesh again and again for some odd reason, but it caused his anger to return within moment. "Bitch, I told you not to cry," he snarled, grabbing her around the throat, his arms having fell away from her waist.

With her feeble human nails she tried to rip at his hand and wrist, but to no avail. Tears of anguish coursed down her cheeks, as she felt nothing spark within her, her miko powers remaining dormant in the moment that she needed them. He hadn't lifted her into the air, yet his strong, sure, fingers were beginning to cut off the oxygen to her lungs. She couldn't breathe!

INUYASHA! She closed her eyes, expecting the kill blow to come… or to be raped within moments. She knew how fast a youkai could move, after all. Fear gripped her heart, but still she did not feel anything spark within her soul. She felt empty, and dirty at the same time, wondering what was truly going to happen to her at that moment. 

"I told you to—" He slumped forward, his fingers releasing Kagome from his grasp, while his knees buckled beneath him. Something zapped at the back of his head, something that he was unsure of. It still caused him to fall into unconsciousness, even if he tried to remain otherwise, his thirst to drink the miko's essence still high beneath the anger that faded.

Kagome peeked through the bottom of her lashes, expecting to find the youkai undressing and ready to rip her clothing from her body. However, what she found was the youkai twitching on the ground, while Miroku's staff was jabbed into the back of his head, a sutra placed there. She looked up, tears of happiness filling her eyes as she gazed at him. She'd never seen Miroku in such a light as she did then. Especially when she'd just mentally called to Inuyasha for help.

"I wondered why you hadn't returned to the village, Kagome-sama," Miroku laughed. "It seems that you have been having fun without me. Such a shame, that is." Miroku was no fool, even if he did try to joke about the situation in such a way. He might have been torn with grief at the fact that his own hand had killed his dear Sango, but he knew that it was not right for the miko to stay out so long. Especially when her voice could barely be heard. He'd become worried, and set out to search for her, only to find her within the grasp of a youkai who had no honor at all. It was not right to rape a woman, especially when there are so many of them that would be willing to give themselves to a male.

A male should take what a woman, not anything more when it came to their bodies, _freely_ gave. It was obvious the youkai at their feet did not understand this. Thus, he smiled at the little miko in his sight, wondering why she suddenly seemed so beautiful. Only three weeks ago he was hoping to marry Sango and have a large family with her, even if she would never truly trust him—the woman in front of him, though, he knew, would always trust him.

Her eyes twinkled, as she smiled at Miroku. There was a soft mewing sound, and she turned to find Kirara sitting just a few feet away. However, she turned away from the fire-neko, and clapped her hands together to show her gratitude. Her smile became wider, when Miroku stepped forward, his staff somehow standing up on its own against the sutra; his arms open to hug her. She giggled when he stepped on the youkai between them, before finally stepping in front of her, swinging his arms around her back.

She snuggled against his chest, his robes hiding nothing from her as she spread her fingers across his shoulders. She wasn't much shorter than he was, though she knew she was shorter. A strange fluttering began in her chest when his fingers suddenly touched her cheek, and underneath her chin in order to lift her face toward his own. Kagome, confused in what was happening, stood there, listening to the sound of a distant chirping bird. The odd look in his eyes told her something that she wasn't able to catch before it was gone, his eyes fluttered closed, and his lips touched her own softly. "Miroku," she whispered against his lips before they latched together, her voice barely heard, even by herself.

His hand, now devoid of the Kazaana curse, found itself behind her head; tilting her lips so that he could press closely, bring more heat into their sudden passion. His heart began to pound against his chest when he felt her shy response, her lips sliding gently over his own. He grunted, and quickly pushed her lips apart in order to deepen the kiss he was taking from her. Living with her.

A soft, very soft, moan escaped her throat, her hand finding itself on the side of his neck, fingers spread wide. Something inside of her seemed to blossom, and she attempted to bring herself closer to Miroku, wanting to _feel_ at that moment. She wanted to. So badly she wanted to, that it wasn't until Miroku's tongue had succeeded in defeating hers that she realized something cold was washing against her face. She opened her eyes, and found that tears were leaking from his lids. A frown formed on her lips, and she gently pulled away from him.

Miroku's eyes snapped open, and he stared at her with the look that Inuyasha often stared at Kikyo with when they were alive. She gasped, watching as tears continuing to course down his face. "Miroku," she touched his cheek with her hand, "what's wrong?"

He almost didn't catch what she'd said, but he reached up when he realized she wanted to know what was wrong with him. He didn't know. He should still be grieving over Sango, but he wasn't. He was standing with another woman, his heart lighter than it had ever been, and instantly knowing that he loved her. He did. He shook his head, and smacked their lips together once more, before quickly pulling away, "Nothing wrong. Nothing."

"Miroku," her soft voice sounded almost breathless, desperate for something solid to hold onto.

_I'm so, so, sorry, Sango_, he whispered to the heavens. With both hands he lifted Kagome's face so that she was staring into his eyes. He knew then that once again he'd fallen in love. Not like when he asked a girl to bare his child, but truly in love, like he had been with Sango. "I-I… Kagome, I—"

Her hands covered his, "Miroku?" Her eyes brightened a little, though sadness could still be found behind them.

"I love you, Kagome," he whispered. He leaned closer, once more taking her mouth with his own. _I love you,_ he whispered to himself. He felt her tears streaking down her face, most likely in happiness, and he was glad that she accepted his feelings. She, after all, had been denied so many times by a certain inu-hanyou, rest his soul.

* * *

High above them, in a place no one could see, a woman smiled down at the sight. Those two needed each other more than anything. She knew that it would hurt the man she loved to continue trying to love her, especially when there were so many others that would happily take his heart and mend it. She was happy that person was Kagome, because it meant Miroku would not have to wonder everyday when he was going to die. They'd live happily, have children, and live together for the rest of their lives, or so she hoped.

Sango couldn't ask for anything else.

_--Fin_


	15. No Matter When: Hiei

**Kiba's Note:** I wasn't originally going to write this at first, but I just couldn't get the image at the end out of my head. No matter how many times I tried, it continued to move from frame to frame, position to position, almost like whenever you watch different frames within movies…

I will give you a fair warning now. If you cannot handle character death, then do not read this. I don't know why, but even I began to cry as I wrote it. I'm sorry if it's too sad for anyone. Truly, I am. I didn't mean for it to turn out that way in the end, but that was just what my mind continued to tell me what to write, and it ended up _that_ way. So, I'm warning you.

Also, if you have requested something, I'm telling you now that its going to take a week or two, because I currently have... 32 ideas that I have. However, I am working on the Obito (Naruto), and a couple of others, like Abel (Trinity Blood), and Ichigo (Bleach). I think I'm going to stop telling you them, though, because I don't wish to give them all away.

_**

* * *

**_

_**Title:** No Matter When_

_**Summary:** They fought, and he was determined to win. However, he never expected years later to meet her once again, battling in the Dark Tournament. He learns something he never expected, right before she asked him to… to…_

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Anime:** YYH/IY

* * *

The distant roar of the crowd seemed to disappear as his sword clashed against the large blade the cloaked woman was using. He danced a dance long since written into time itself, one of bloodshed and death. The strange woman held her own, swinging the large blade around in order to counter his attacks, though it seemed that she shouldn't be able to do such a thing with such a heavy looking blade. With a single slash, however, he managed to catch the end of her cloak, the sound of it tearing lifting over the crowds shouting, hollering, bellowing, and roaring for more blood, death, and fear.

"_Oh! What's this?_" came the annoying voice of the announcer. "_It seems that our masked fighter, Nanashi, will finally be revealed! Now, we all know from the last battle that Team Uzumaki that this mysterious fighter, this Nanashi, is a woman, but who is she really? Will we finally find out? I sure hope so!_"

Yusuke, standing outside the ring, glared at the demon announcer. "Would you shut up for once!" he yelled, "I'm trying to hear what she's saying!"

The announcer cringed, stating, "_I'm only doing my job, sir_" through the microphone she held within her clawed hand. She sighed, deciding that she'd merely tell them what was going on, perhaps cheer the crowd until they were chanting to see blood. That, after all, was what most of the demons there came for.

Two boys one the opposite side of the ring gritted their teeth, both leaning forward in order to see if their mysterious teammate had finally been revealed. They knew that she did not wish it, especially now that she was going up against the one that she hadn't wished to. She was the only one to not fight so far, and they were already tied. Whoever won this match who move on, the others would be removed from the tournament.

Hiei stopped for a moment, the woman having landed onto the ground, the remainder of her cloak still around her. Her eyes were covered, had been throughout the entire tournament, but her scent was familiar. Her large blade was tilted against the ring's surface, almost like she was ready to jump completely from the ground and swing it in order to make a circle where she'd once stood. That would do her no good, though.

She stood, the piece of her cloak that covered her face having been clipped by his sword. It had caught the piece that held the cloak together, thus it fell away when she finally lifted her head high, her dark blue eyes shining in the light of the day, yet looked cold as ice. Her lightly tanned skin almost seemed to perfect for her, hiding muscles that everyone knew was there. Her raven-black hair was tinted almost dark blue, while dark purple streaks had been dyed throughout the strands. The crowd went wild, noticing that this woman was another human, another dirty, filthy, human that shouldn't have made it that far within the tournament, especially since she was a woman.

The redhead standing next to him stilled, staring up at the unmasked woman. The announcer seemed to have noticed this, and came hoping toward them, obviously wondering whom the woman was. However, Yusuke frowned, wondering what was going through Kurama's mind at that moment. After all, Kurama had never taken an interest in any woman, so why would he be staring dumbly at that one?

Genkai, standing close by, moved to stand between them, enough room for her to fit. Her arms folded behind her back, her hands gripping her elbows as she turned her attention to the redhead known as Kurama. Her wise, old voice, finally said, "I take it you know that woman, Kurama?"

Kurama blinked, turning his attention toward the old woman beside him. He nodded a little, saying, "Yes. Her name is," suddenly there was a microphone stuffed underneath his nose, "Kagome. She's an… acquaintance of Hiei's. I have only met her once or twice, though."

The announcer did a little dance, a large grin suddenly spreading across her face. She was so happy that she'd gotten her information. Lifting the microphone, she said, "_You heard it from the horse's… oh, excuse me, fox's mouth, everyone. It would seem that our dear Nanashi is actually known as Kagome! It seems these two fighters have already met! Who knows, perhaps they were once lover—Ow!_"

Yusuke scowled, finally fed up with the announcer. "Hiei hates humans." Within his hand he was tossing another rock, ready to let it loose. Kuwabara was shouting at the fact that he'd just hit a woman, but he didn't care. The announcer, Midori, had made a big deal out of the fact that he had lost his match to the brat on the Uzumaki team, some kid named Hakudoushi.

"_Oh…_" the announcer blinked. She sighed, "_Oh, well. Well, perhaps they were once good friends! We never know._" She grinned, turning to Yusuke, "_And you don't know either, sir!_" Midori smirked, knowing she'd got him, especially when he looked confused.

"Hiei…"

She swung herself around, her arm wide, "_Who will be the winner of this final match? Who will manage to become victorious when these two are 'acquaintances'?_" She pointed toward the two fighters, "_Perhaps this match will end soon, and we'll find out!_"

A soft smile placed itself onto her lips, her head tilting so that she didn't have to look him in the eye, "…It's been a long time, Hiei." She grinned a little at her own foolishness, "But maybe that's only to me. You're a demon, after all."

A flash of confusion shot through his eyes, silently wondering why she'd hid herself. After all, she'd been an excellent fighter when he'd first met her, and it was clear that she'd managed to pass the level that she'd once been at. She was still as he remembered her, though her eyes were a little more tired than they had been back then, a strange emotions rushing throughout them when her blue eyes flickered toward him.

Her grin remained, "I see you're still as silent as ever. I don't think I've ever heard you say more than a few words." She took a glance back toward her team, watching as they all turned their faces, probably not wishing to know what she was thinking, or wanted permission for.

The crowd grew quiet, most of the demons within the stands wishing to hear what they were saying. There were occasional growls, some snarls, while they waited to see if the near emotionless fire demon would exchange words with a worthless human. He'd betrayed them by joining the humans he was with, but would he stoop so low as to talk with a human **female**?

He stood motionless, his mind whirling as he remembered the last time he'd seen her. The last time their swords had swung together, though her blade had been shorter and smaller than the one she held now. The look in her eyes, the strange look she had now, had formed then, and he could not help but wonder what it was. He, after all, could not search her mind in order to find out from the barriers that she placed around the information she did not wish for him to dabble in. Even now he could feel her barriers forcing him to stay out of her head as he tried to find a crack within them.

Genkai turned her eyes toward the ring, a knowing smile forming on her lips at the sight of the young woman's near silent actions. _It would seem Hiei has found someone who wishes to understand him… perhaps love him. Hm,_ were her only thoughts, before she decided that she should not think these things while her mental barriers were down. After all, Hiei could easily hear them if he so wished when her barrier wasn't in place.

Kurama's eyes glittered, watching as Kagome swung her blade so that the flat edge was leaning on her shoulder, the sharpened edge easily flipped downward toward the ground if need be. However, he had a feeling that neither Kagome, nor Hiei wished to attack one another. After all, every time they fought, they never once struck for fatal blows, but merely to knock the others unconscious. Even if he knew Kagome would never love him, stating that he was too polite and kind for her tastes, he could not stop the jealousy that rose within his body as he watched the scene unfold before him.

**FLASHBACK**

Her foot pushed forward, trying to throw him off balance as he pushed back. Her pitiful human strength managed to last for only a few moments, until he finally pushed once more against her, causing her to stumble away from him. Her sword, however, was quick as lightning when he struck out toward her thigh, quickly deflecting his blade from its target, her feet regaining their stable balance.

It was almost strange to find such an excellent swordswoman within this age.

Her stance changed within moment, her sword suddenly against his neck, the tip pressing close to his skin. He didn't even flinch, instead glaring at her, as she said, "It seems you're distracted, Hiei."

"Hm."

Her sword lowered, a laugh falling from her lips, "Is that the only sound you know how to make?"

"Hm."

Her laugh became louder, more beautiful sounding. However, it annoyed him a little, causing his eye to twitch only a little bit. Without much effort, his sword found itself against her heart, his hand grabbing her right wrist, twisting it in order to make her drop her weapon. She flinched, but he did not care, as he smirked, "It seems that you're as well, foolish woman."

She grunted, "That's not fair, Hiei."

He remained silent.

Her eyes darkened, "But then again, life is not fair either, is it?"

He raised an eyebrow, never replying her simple question. However, deep within his mind he knew that life was not fair. It never was, and never would be.

**END FLASHBACK**

Kagome's smile did not remain solid, though. It almost seemed to flicker as she stared toward the demon, slightly shorter than herself, though she'd never call him short. It would hurt his pride. She knew that demons were very proud, and lived for certain things. She would be insulting him by calling him short, and she never wanted to do that. Never.

"BLOOD!" came a shout from the crowd. "GIVE US MORE BLOOD!"

Her smile vanished.

"_Oh, it seems that something very interesting is happening between these two! Perhaps remembering past events, wondering if it would be best to merely fall as one in a tie. But what fun would that be, right?_" she listened to the sound of the crowd, roaring from her words. Ties were always so boring.

Her teammates turned away, each one of them knowing what was going on through her mind. It hurt to know that she was still thinking about that, still thinking about what had happened during the time that they'd received word from Hakudoushi about the tournament before joining.

"I did something terrible, you know," she whispered. She tried to smile, only to find that she couldn't. "That's the only reason I'm here. I-I wish to die."

He stiffened, "What?"

"I wish to die," she said more firmly. "That should be the punishment for the crime I committed." Her eyes were dull now, completely, staring off like she was seeing through him.

"Kagome," came a soft whisper from Kurama, and a few of the people on her own team. Kurama was confused, his green eyes flashing gold as he thought of Kagome dying. Apparently Youko thought the same thing, the fox having actually become attached to the young woman somehow. Why would she wish to die, though? It made no sense, especially when she was the purest person he'd ever known.

Hiei, normally quiet and cold, glared at her. "Crime?" he asked.

She glared back at him, her dull eyes brimming with fire within moment. "It is none of your concern."

He took a step forward, watching her blade swing until it was horizontal with the ground, pointing straight at him. "What crime have you committed, foolish woman?"

She glared harder.

"Now, wench!"

Her resolve shattered, her eyes suddenly flooding with tears. She looked away from him, her eyes once more becoming dull in appearance. Her form shook, her mind racing as she thought of what she had done. Horrible images flashed through her mind, her barrier falling for a moment in order to allow the fire demon to see them as well. There was an attack, what seemed like lightning, and the face of a young boy began ripping to pieces, falling apart like the person was decaying within seconds.

Tears streaked down her face, her blade falling from her grip as she began to sob. She'd killed her own brother with an attack that was meant for another, a demon that had attacked them. Her hands gripped her cheeks, trying to make herself stop crying, knowing that she was merely making herself looking worse in the eyes of the demons watching them. She was supposed to be an experienced fighter, but here she was, crying like a little girl who'd just lost her new puppy when a car had hit it. That wasn't funny, at all, since that had happened to her when she was little.

_Hiei… the pain won't go away,_ she whispered, knowing that he heard her. _I want it to go away. I-I-I… want… I want to… to find peace… Hiei… help me…_ Her eyes turned upward, his own words running through her head as she stumbled toward him.

Midori gasped, instantly bringing her microphone to her lips, "_What's this? It seems that Kagome, Nanashi, is giving herself to Team Urameshi's fighter, Hiei. She's opening herself for an attack! Surely she's not this suicidal, since we've all seen what Hiei can do!_"

Hiei nodded only once, watching her move toward him. When she reached him, he allowed his eyes to close, his arm swinging only on instinct…

"Kagome!" shouted her teammates.

His heart hurt, watching her stumble toward him. He closed his eyes, only for them to snap open when he heard the sound of splattering blood, and something else he did not know how to explain, no matter how many times he heard it. Instantly, his eyes began changing to gold, Youko surging forth at the sight before them.

The crowd went wild once more! The roaring increased, each one of them cheering at the fact that the human had killed herself. Within moments they began fighting amongst themselves, never knowing the dying words that fluttered through her mind, nor the smile that she gave the fire demon was she sucked in her final breath, blood being coughed up from her throat.

Her smile was breathtaking, as she stared up at him, having fallen to her knees when his sword shot through her chest, directly into her heart. She only had moments to live, perhaps a bit longer, yet she still smiled, happy to know that she'd find peace at last. Hiei didn't understand it, nor did he understand the words, _now… and then… forever… I… Hiei… I lo—I do…_ She slumped forward, her head resting against his stomach as she pulled his sword from her, her blood instantly flooding from the wound, and dripped off his blade.

Naruto, one of Kagome's teammates, stared at the sight with wide eyes. His hand clenched, the demon inside of him wishing that it hadn't have to be this way. But Kagome had said she wished to die at the hands of the male she loved, but she'd wanted to die in the final round, to prove to him that she was just as good as he was. They weren't even there! Tears escaped his eyes, and he turned to see Sasuke, Itachi, Hakudoushi, and Kagura allowed tears to flow as well.

Shock overcame him suddenly, and he knew that everyone was staring at him. He didn't know what it was, but something told him that he'd made both a grave and a wonderful decision. His blade fell from his hand, his arm coming around to hold the back of her head, keeping her lifeless body against him when she began to fall to the side.

Midori blinked in confusion. Her voice cracked, sadness overcoming her as she felt the feelings of those around her, "_The… the winner is Team Urameshi…_" She only felt sicker after saying that.

Hiei breathed deeply, feeling the energy of Youko rise. He'd known that the fox had gotten close to the woman, but that wasn't what concerned him. What concerned him was the single tear that somehow managed to escape his eye. He didn't know what it was meant for, or even why he was nearly crying, but the place where his heart was ached. He could only wonder why. Especially after her words, mentally, though they were.

_Now… and then… forever_, echoed throughout his head. He could hear it over and over again, wondering what it meant. What she had meant by it. Was she truly trying to tell him something, or was she simply being the foolish woman he remembered her as once again? He wouldn't know, ever, but that still didn't stop the pain within his heart.

_--Fin_

* * *

**Short Note: **_I just wanted to tell you the reason why Kagome picked the name "Nanashi" to use during the Dark Tournament. It means, "Without Name" and I thought it would have been reasonable, since she was trying to hide her own name. Therefore, she was without name. Get it?_


	16. Feral: Uchiha Sasuke

**_Title:_**_ Feral _

**_Summary:_**_ She's wild and untamed. Sasuke will do anything in order to calm her ragging spirit, but maybe all he has to do is the simplest of things. Why he's even trying is unknown even to himself, though. _

**Pairing:** Sasuke/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

She snarled, almost like an animal, as he flung yet another kunai toward her, obviously thinking that _she_ was going to trip up. What a foolish shinobi this _boy_ was? She had been tormented by her best friend's brother simply because he'd found her intriguing, and wished to learn what length he could go to in order to cause her pain through _anything_. That meant **anything**, including things that she'd never thought he'd do because he'd claimed to hate humans.

Sasuke jumped, quickly, as she lashed out at him, sword suddenly in hand. This was the third time that he'd fought her, and he was determined to win this time. There was no way this woman would be able to defeat him again, especially since she wasn't even a kunoichi. There had to be a way to defeat her, even if she acted much like an animal trying to protect something precious to it.

He knew there were others watching them, but that was not the reason why he was fighting her. Something in his chest told him that he needed to make her calm down, something wanted to dominate her, and his possessive Uchiha nature seemed to be acting up. He wanted to feel her wriggling beneath him, to feel her lips against his own, and he didn't know why. Maybe it was the feral look in her eyes, the fact that she fought with more fire than even Naruto, or perhaps because she held strength that he was positive could rival that of Itachi's.

All his life ridiculous women that merely wanted to date a prodigy had chased him. All his life he'd wanted to get away from them all, deeming them stupid and low, but not this one. She held her sword like a master swordsman, and she battled almost like she was in a dance. She held a beauty that was only enhanced by the wild look in her eyes, the slight ruffle of her hair, the way her lip rose like a snarling dog, and all the little details that told him she'd been through more than most would in a lifetime—she'd survived whatever it was.

She was powerful, even if she used strange chakra, and relied on physical strength. It was almost like she'd trained herself in order to protect herself, and now seemed to be running from whatever had turned her into this feral creature. From her form, though, he'd describe her more as a feral nymph, graceful and elegant, cunning and swift. Why Sasuke felt he'd describe her that way, was beyond him, but that's how he felt he would at that moment. These things just made her power more appealing to his eyes, though, even if he was only seventeen years old. Hell, he was sure that Itachi would have probably taken her to his bed if he had found her first.

That was just too bad for his brother, though, for he, Sasuke, found her first. She was always seen wondering around outside the walls of Konohagakure, but Tsunade-sama had deemed her as nothing dangerous, thus she had been left alone until the fateful day that Naruto happened to find her small makeshift home. She'd attacked the Kyuubi vessel, only for the rest of them to coming running upon his _scream_, though Naruto tried to convince them it was a yell, of surprise. It was then that he, Sasuke, first met her, and it was then that his heart quickened, something in his stomach fluttering and a strange _need_ rose within him to have her for himself.

Though not one to be controlled, he would follow his instincts. He felt a connection with this woman, and he would not allow her to get away. She would either become **his** lover, or wife, or… he'd kill her. He'd make sure that Itachi wasn't able to find her, thus making more problems for their village when their children, if they had any together, were grown and trained. Besides, it was about time that he got something that Itachi didn't.

With a swift movement, he pulled a set of shuriken from his holster, one between each of his fingers. He knew that he carried a set of silver shuriken, made from one of the hardest metals in Konoha, but he pulled out the set that any shinobi could get their hands on. He didn't want to hurt her too much, after all.

A smirk formed on her face, a deep growl forming in her throat. She heard the whimper of the dog one of the members of their audience was carrying, but paid it no mind. After all, it would do no good to be distracted by such a small creature. She'd lived with a dog _demon_ for over a year, there was no reason why a small creature like a dog-nin should distract her, even if she was speaking his language as much as she could. She only knew a few sounds, but they all meant certain things, most of them to keep other demons away, thinking she was a powerful demon that didn't want to be messed with.

Her wild eyes watched him, the pupils almost larger than they should be, and the color so dark that they looked like a pair of black abysses staring at him. Her lip lifted upward, watching his movements closely, knowing that he could easily pull some Ninjutsu on her at any moment. Genjutsu was easy to dispel, and Ninjutsu was easy to avoid at a certain distance depending on what it was. She might have been like a pet to Sesshoumaru, but she'd learned quite a bit from him while he used her.

Her eyes darkened further, _I will kill Inuyasha for just handing me over like he did._

His wrist snapped, the shuriken flying through the air. His obsidian eyes narrowed, the sharingan suddenly forming in their depths as he watched her. She slid her foot backwards, almost like she was preparing to run straight into the attack. He saw it all, from the moment that she tilted her sword downward just a bit, to the point where her knee bent, finally lifting her off the ground, almost as soon as the first shuriken came near her. What seemed like slow motion showed him how she easily spun in the air, deflecting one that nearly caught her on the leg, though it was clear that she was in full control of the situation.

Sasuke smirked, his sharingan eyes showing him everything he needed to know. His hand once again reached into his holster, pulled out a kunai, and threw it as she once again spun. Her feet hit the bark of a tree, her hair flying around in all directions, and she flipped in the air, almost like it would help her come back down to the ground quickly. However, he had been faster, and had thrown the kunai accurately.

She hissed, the kunai logging itself into her shoulder. She should have seen it coming, yet she hadn't even been able to detect it. Obviously she needed to stop showing off, and teach this little boy a lesson. She snarled once more, showing off her teeth like they were fangs. "Pathetic," she whispered.

Those words sounded oddly familiar, almost like he'd heard them before, but he ignored it. This was not the time to be thinking about the bastard who killed his entire Clan. Especially when he had an untamed woman to capture. She did, after all, look more appealing once he was seeing her with his sharingan—even more so than she had before. It caused the strange feeling in his chest to ache, wishing nothing more than to take her from prying eyes and see exactly what he could do with her. That'd be more interesting than what he was doing now.

She didn't even move to remove the kunai sticking out from the flesh of her shoulder, instead allowing it to stay there, like it would stop the blood that was trying to flood from the wound. "Is that the only thing you can do? Here I thought shinobi were supposed to be more of a challenge. Then again, I have faced _you_ how many times now? Two, three?"

The others watched as she raised her sword, pointing it directly at Sasuke. They all wondered why he kept coming back for punishment, but they also wondered why he was suddenly so interest in a woman. Never before had he done that, but it was obvious he was either trying to prove something, or get something. It made them think that perhaps his Uchiha nature was catching up with him, and he was being possessive, wishing to claim a woman that would probably never even look at him in such a way. Especially with her eyes, the eyes that were normally only seen on a member of the ANBU.

"This will be the final time I allow this," she growled. "I will not play more games with you, boy."

_Game?_ This flooded into the minds of the watchers, Nara Shikamaru, Hyuuga Hinata, Hyuuga Neji, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Akimichi Chouji, Rock Lee, Yamanaka Ino, TenTen, Inuzuka Kiba, and his dog companion, Akamaru. These were the only ones that knew that Sasuke came here just to battle with this woman. Others knew as well, but they were not present at the time. Each one of them, however, wondered how this woman could simply think of this battle as a game. It was obvious, though, from the scars on her arms, that this woman knew the hardship of battle… and possible other things that she had not wanted.

Sasuke lowered the shuriken he had pulled from his person, since he'd learned that it was best to have hidden weapons as well as ones visible. He stared at her in disbelief, watching her through his activated sharingan, wondering how the hell she could think of this as a _game_. This was no game. He wanted… he wanted… god, he wanted her; he wanted everything she could give him, though he knew not why. Even her voice, almost dark and menacing, sent shivers down his spine.

A small smirk lifted onto her lips, "You're nothing but a tiny obstacle in my path, boy. You're pathetic for trying to once again defeat me, when it is obvious I am higher in rank and skill level," her smirk faded, "You're nothing compared to me."

Sakura gasped, suddenly shouting, "You bitch! How dare you say that to Sasuke!"

Ino voiced her opinion as well, almost the same as Sakura. "Who do you think you are talking to Sasuke that way? He's the best shinobi in our village!"

Sakura turned to her, "Shut up, Ino-pig!"

"Why don't you, forehead girl?" Ino hollered back, and in a matter of moments they were within a shouting match between rivals. A glimmer could be found in Ino's eyes, but she continued to yell nonetheless, deeming that she would win Sasuke's heart as soon as this woman broke it. It was clear to her that Sasuke wanted this woman, but she would pick up the pieces once he was shattered. Sakura obviously thought the same thing, which was why they were both there.

He tried to hold in the laugh, but soon found himself chuckling. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on through Sasuke's mind since the bastard probably never had a woman say that to him. Every woman he met began drooling at his feet! _I almost feel sorry for him,_ Naruto thought, _but Sasuke-teme deserves it!_ He silently went on cheering the woman.

She swung her sword, the only _gift_ she'd received from Sesshoumaru and wanted, accepted without him having to force it upon her—the only thing, since he'd given her many _gifts_ to remember him by. "I will end this now," she said. "Prepare yourself, boy, you might not come out alive this time." With that she began a steady pace toward him, both hands coming to wrap around the hilt of her sword. She never knew that he saw her eyes every once in a while flicker for only a moment toward something in the forest, though. Something was there, and she had a bad feeling of what it was.

Sasuke tensed, noticing her flickering eyes instantly. Now was his chance, especially when her eyes seemed to lock onto something in the forest and stayed there, though she raised her sword as if she was going to slice him in two. His hands moved into the signs he needed to make, the shuriken having been placed back into their hiding spot. Instantly a clone appeared beside him, and they nodded at each other.

She sensed his chakra rise, but paid little attention to it as she locked onto Sesshoumaru's spy. She would have to take care of it, but right now she needed to pay more attention to the boy. However, the spy seemed to be taking in her every move, and she had this nagging feeling that it was something more. Especially in that small dog form, the golden eyes watching her mockingly. She knew, however, that Sesshoumaru's general was also a shiro-inu, so there was a possibility that it was not Sesshoumaru himself.

Sasuke's clone moved forward, Sasuke running close behind him. Within moments they cleared the distant between themselves and the feral woman. She was distracted, which would be her downfall. You never took your eyes off your opponent; that was a mistake she would learn soon enough. Especially when your opponent was a sharingan user.

They watched as the clone jumped into the air, both of them quickly forming hand signs, before the clone placed his fingers to his lips. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" With that the fire technique was unleashed upon the suddenly surprised woman, her eyes widening as she saw it coming toward her. However, they watched as she composed herself, her dark eyes narrowing as she moved backwards, trying to remove herself from the fires path. One of her hands fell from her swords hilt, as she swung it to possibly dispel the fire that struck in front of her.

The real Sasuke, having already threw the shuriken he'd once more pulled from his person, did something else that probably surprised the woman more than the attack had. He jumped straight through the second wave that his clone sent, a kunai in hand. Once on the other side, having narrowing missed having his hair burnt straight off, along with anything he was wearing, he slammed his kunai against her sword, causing the woman to slip up, the sword sliding from her hand.

She allowed a gasp to come from her lips, her eyes widening as the boy grabbed her wrist, and the kunai he was holding in his other hand caught the top of her clothing. It only touched her skin lightly, not enough to draw blood, but to send a small spark of pain rushing through a scar having healed over recently. His extra weight pushed them to the ground, his knees effectively stopping her from bucking him off her while his face was close to hers.

Sasuke smirked, holding her down as she bucked and snarled, wriggled and growled, spat and hissed, trying to get out of his grasp. He held her firmly, though, his chest panting as he caught her wild eyes with his own. Something within him wished to suddenly claim her, in front of the others, to prove to them that they were not allowed to touch her. The kunai through her clothing was slammed into the ground hard enough that she would have to tear her clothing in order to move away from it, while his hand came up to grab her chin.

The image of a grinning dog demon formed in her mind, his fangs glinting in the candlelight he'd used in his chambers, as his lust filled eyes stared into her own. His claws sank into her arms, causing her to cry out, wriggling against the male that held her now, her wild eyes turning into ones of terror and a silent need. An ache formed in her lower regions against her will, wanting what she knew any male, demon or human, could give her.

His sharingan faded away, his tongue quickly sweeping out to moisten his lips, but also touched hers lightly. She screamed, flinching away from him as he shot up, confused as to what she was seeing. Her eyes were glazed over, telling him that she was seeing something that was not him—something formed in his chest, something that was enraged by that fact. His hand firmly held her chin so that she couldn't remove her eyes from his, though, and he gently moved so that he could rub his cheek against her own.

Something was not right. She couldn't feel the actual pain from the claws in her wrist, nor could she feel them sinking into her chin. She knew Sesshoumaru, she knew exactly what he'd do; he'd soon remove his hand in order to lap at the blood that swelled from the wounds, his healing salvia removing the wounds from his sight. Never, though, had he rubbed their faces together, touched her lips, or softened his hold when he wanted to claim her body. Never…

He moved away when she once more snarled, and found that her eyes had refocused, finally seeing him instead of the nightmare she must have seen before. He'd pinned her legs with his knees, yes, but far enough down so that he was leaning over her, his chest nearly touching hers. He knew she couldn't bend her knees in order to press upward, though.

Once more she began wriggling, pulling at her arm that he was holding captive, and racking the nails of her other hand over his thigh. The shinobi didn't seem to notice, though, and that pissed her off enough that she snarled louder. On instinct, something that she'd gotten from being around Sesshoumaru so long, she snapped her teeth to him, trying to bite his nose off, or whatever else she could get them on. However, the man pressed down harder on her, his lips suddenly slammed against her own, which caused her to scream again, trying to smack her forehead against his own.

He held her still, though.

Sasuke pressed closer to her, listening as she snarled against him, trying to yank herself away. His obsidian eyes drifted closed, showing the woman that he was enjoying himself, since she was staring into his eyes. He moved to encourage her, knowing that trying to taste her mouth might end up in a nasty situation where he either didn't have his tongue or it was bleeding profoundly. He continued, even though she struggled to get away from him, and loved every minute of it, but not as much as when **it** happened.

Her snarls turned to soft whimpers, her chest suddenly bending upward to press against him. He felt her begin moving with him, tilting her head against his softened grip in order to get a better angle. Sasuke grinned against her, hearing the gasps of the others, and knew that most of them probably had their mouths hanging open, trying to catch flies. Soon her whimpers changed to soft moans, and her free hand gripped his thigh as if she was trying to hold onto something solid. What he didn't expect was for her to press harder against him, her tongue pushing past his gently closed lips and instantly wrapping around his own. His only response was a strangled groan that didn't even sound like it had come from him.

She pulled away from him, panting hard as she stared into his eyes when he opened them. Sasuke felt the connection strengthen then, as her lips gently touched his own again. Her tongue shot out and traced his jawline, the wild look in her eyes having softened, but was still there. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he grunted, pulling away from her in order to pull out the kunai pinning her. His eyes caught hers once more, staring into their depths, while he moved his legs so that he was straddling her hips instead of pinning her to the ground.

Once more she lightly touched his lips with her own, but didn't completely mesh them together. "W-what is your name?" she whispered, her voice having changed from the dark tone she'd used to one that was innocent and beautiful. It was a tone that she usually only used with Rin, Sesshoumaru's ward, before she escaped the dog demon's grasp.

His voice was just as low, "Uchiha Sasuke." He felt no need to be cold to this woman, as he was with others. "Yours?"

"Kagome," she whispered. "Higurashi Kagome."

Right before his eyes the exterior that had formed while with him faded away, the happiness she radiated around Rin forming as she stared into the eyes of the Uchiha boy. A small curve of his lips showed his amusement as he turned tail and decided that it was time to return home. After all, he had not told Inuyasha the true reason why he wanted the woman, other than a good fuck. He had wanted to remove her from Inuyasha's side, make her understand that there were things in life that could hurt her, since he'd known Inuyasha's plan to kill her once the Shikon was complete. Now, the jewel was within his possession, and it would stay there, for he wouldn't allow others to use it the way Naraku had.

He shook his fur a little, the pink jewel shining around his neck. Its power was hidden, even to the miko, but that did not bother him. She would be loved now, without having to worry about her duty, as he had wanted her to be. However, she'd grown to hate him, and had ran away from his side before he could tell her he wanted her as his mate. Now, she had obviously made a connection with the shinobi, the Uchiha boy, and his honor would not allow him to tear her away from him. Especially now that her feral nature was beginning to decay, wither, and die. He loved her enough to allow her to find love within the boy who'd shown her kindness, something he had not been able to do.

Should he, Sesshoumaru, learn that the Uchiha hurt her in any way, though, he would return to personally tear the boy's head from his shoulders.

Sasuke turned his head to see the fading figure of a large white dog, but ignored it. He turned his eyes back to the woman underneath him. Kagome, she said her name was. He smirked down at her, knowing what his next move would be. The wild look in her eyes seemed to be smothered a little, but the look she was now giving him was something he knew he loved more. His feral woman was not far away, though, he knew from the simple lifting of her lip as he once more caught her lips with his own. How many times he did that that night, he didn't know, but he loved it nonetheless.

_--Fin_


	17. To Never Forget: Nara Shikamaru

**_Title:_**_ To Never Forget _

**_Summary:_**_ When he was younger, there was a girl that would watch the clouds with him, but she disappeared the day the Uchiha Clan was wiped out. He remembered everything about her… everything but her name._

**Pairing:** Shikamaru/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

_They stared up at the clouds together, the two young children watching the clouds as they moved across the sky. These two would probably be considered the smartest in the whole village when it came to their age, and it was only natural that they'd be seen together, even if the girl was a year younger than the boy. Or that's what he thought everyone else thought. He only stayed hung out with her because she wasn't as boring as the other kids his age. _

_Her hand shot up suddenly, pointing to a cloud high above them, "Look at that one, Shikamaru-kun! It looks like a bunny rabbit!" _

_He blinked, looking at the cloud that she was pointing at. He frowned, not seeing what she could, but smiled a little, "Mhm." _

_She pouted, turning her head so that she could see him better. "You can't see it, can you Shikamaru?" Seeing him shake his head, she laughed, "That's alright. You can watch the clouds, and I will tell you what they look like. My imag… ima… imaginashion…" _

_"Imagination," he said softly. _

_"Yes, that's it! Mine is better than yours," she grinned. _

_He frowned at her, "No its not." _

_"Yes it is," she replied, turning onto her side. _

_He did the same, putting a little more force behind his words. "No. Its not." _

_"Yes it is!" _

_"No its not!" _

_This continued for a few minutes, before the young girl finally turned back onto her back, completely ignoring the boy. She grinned, knowing for a fact that he would soon wonder why she was ignoring him and demand she give him her attention. He might have been lazy and wanted to merely stare at the clouds, but he was still a boy. _

_She was right, especially when he called out her name. When she did not answer him, he frowned deeper, wondering why she was ignoring him. She had never done that unless she was angry with him, or had fallen asleep. Why was she ignoring him now? She didn't look angry, and her eyes told him she wasn't asleep. "…me, why are you doing that?" he asked. _

_She blinked, turning to him. "Doing what?" _

_"You're ignoring me…" he said her name once more. "Why?" _

_She blinked again, a smile forming on her lips. She didn't answer him, instead turning her eyes back toward the sky. "Shikamaru-kun?" _

_"Yes?" _

_"Why do you think the clouds are so carefree?" she asked. _

_He looked back toward the clouds. He'd always thought that, since the clouds were free and could go anywhere they wanted to go. They weren't restricted or anything. However, he didn't have an answer, and he shook his head. "I don't know." _

_Once more she gasped, shooting her finger up to point at another cloud. "That one looks like a fish," she said happily. Within moments her eyes turned to another cloud, "And that one looks like a shuriken!" _

_Indeed, he turned his attention toward the cloud she was pointing at and saw what she saw. A smile blossomed onto his face, happy to know that she was wrong. He could see what she saw; he just didn't want to see the things she saw because they weren't what interested him. "It does," he whispered. _

_A weight was suddenly on his chest, and he looked down to find the girl's head lying on him. A blush rose on his cheeks, gently moving from of the shoulder length hair out of the way so that he could see obsidian eyes turning toward him. His blush darkened a little, wondering what the girl was doing. "…what are you doing?" he asked. _

_"Hm… sleepy," she said. And she fell asleep not soon after that, turning so that she was facing him, gripping his shirt between her fingers. He smiled at her, knowing that the others would probably think they were dating or something, whatever that was. He just knew that grownups did that together, but he didn't know exactly what it meant. _

_He gently removed her black hair from her eyes, and traced her face with his hand. A small smile formed on his young face as he watched her sleep, knowing that her father or brother would come to get her later. For now he would protect her, though, as he should, "Ka…"_

Nara Shikamaru was forced into the land of the living from a shift kick in his side. He was laying in the same field that the dream had been within, but that didn't seem to register to him as he turned his eyes to the fifteen-year-old standing over him, tapping her foot against the ground. Sighing, he thought, _how bothersome_. "What now, Ino?" he asked, his voice drawn out and lazy sounding. He wondered for a moment why he hadn't sensed her coming, since he usually could.

Ino huffed, "We're supposed to be training, Shikamaru, not staring at clouds."

"So?" he said, his voice still lazy sounding.

Once again Ino gave a huff, shaking her head as she stared down at him. "You've only mastered the Shadow Imitation Technique, Shikamaru. That's the only jutsu you've used for years, but you know as well as I do that every other shinobi knows you only know one technique. Doesn't that bother you? Don't you think you should get off your lazy butt and learn something new?"

He almost rolled his eyes, instead turning his face away from her. "Do you think I'd be here if it bothered me, Ino?"

Ino blinked in confusion, anger clear in her voice as she stumbled over her words. "Eh… well… I mean, no. But… that's not the point!" she said, feeling the need to stomp her foot. Stomp her foot right on his head, that is. She knew she'd get into trouble for doing that, though. She'd already been scolded that day for fighting with Chouji; she didn't want to go through that again on the same day.

Shikamaru sighed in relief when Ino muttered something about being an idiot and turned away, obviously going to tell their sensei, Asuma, that he was watching clouds again. He shook his head, turned onto his side, and propped his head on his hand. The dream from before still haunted him, because he knew that it had actually happened. It was just a memory that had come to him after all this time. Strange, though, that he couldn't remember the name he'd called her each time, and it bothered him a little.

He knew the girl had been his childhood crush, but why couldn't her name? It was the strangest thing. He remembered that she never really wanted to tell him what her surname was, though he remembered her telling him at one time once he found out who her brother was, or where she lived, so he never pushed her about it. He always known her first name, until now, and everything else that she told him. He knew that she'd loved clouds, and clear blue skies that didn't have clouds, though she loved clouds more. She hated lightning, and would usually go to her elder brother whenever there was one, and she'd hated vanilla ice cream. Her hair was black, her eyes a glossy black that he'd often called obsidian since she'd loved the word. She'd been pretty, sweet, and she'd wanted to one day be as good as her elder brother. Strange, he couldn't remember who her brother was either.

Shaking his head, Shikamaru decided that it didn't matter. It was a bothersome thing that he didn't need to think about anymore. She was gone, and she had been for years. He wasn't sure how many, but he knew that she just disappeared when he was around eight, which was the year the Uchiha Clan was completely wiped out by Uchiha Itachi, something about wishing to test his power. Why, he didn't know. It was too bothersome to think about, much like a lot of things in his life.

Breathing deeply, he moved his arm so that it was underneath his head as he laid there, looking off into space. It shouldn't have bothered him so much! It shouldn't have, but it did for some reason. Almost like there was something he'd forgotten that he shouldn't have, and that nagged at him for a while, until he finally turned back onto his back and stared up at the sky.

Clouds moved across the sky, each one having its own unique shape, and each one of them he traced his eyes over. A small smile formed on his lips as he saw one that looked oddly like something he'd seen all his life. A shuriken.

_"And that one looks like a shuriken!"_

His eyes widened slightly, the words flooding into his mind as they had with his dream. Her voice, so young, innocent, and carefree was something that had made him happy and wish to find new things in life. She'd always been nagging him about learning new jutsus with her, but he'd usually declined, giving her some excuse. She'd find him later watching clouds, and she'd laugh, sit down beside him… and she'd watch them with him, her imagination coming up with different objects, animals, and shapes that they looked like. She'd call him lazy… and he… he'd…

Shikamaru's eyes closed, his breathing evening out as he once more fell into sleep. He didn't know when it happened, or how long he was sleeping, but he soon found himself drifting in his dreams, memories, once more. Something that usually didn't happen, he usually dreamt about life being different.

_"Shikamaru-kun, come on," the girl whimpered, tugging at his shirt as they sat on a hillside. "I love clouds, but we watch them everyday! I want to go learn something! Please come and train with me and nii-san, please!" _

_Shikamaru looked over at her, a blush rising to his cheeks. "But—" _

_She pouted, "I'll ask nii-san to go easy. He doesn't like to, but he will if I ask him. I know you can only do the Shadow what's-it, but he could teach you how to do something else. Nii-san could! He's the greatest shinobi ever!" Her eyes were pleading with him, but she finally sighed, knowing that he just wanted to sit there for the rest of the day. _

_Shikamaru watched her turn her face away from him, and sighed himself. He was seven; he shouldn't have been blushing the way he was. A shinobi never shows his true emotions. Maybe it would be fun to learn something new, but her brother wasn't every patient when it came to him, almost like he hated the fact that his sister was friends' with him. _

_Crossing her arms, she stuck her nose in the air like she didn't care what he was feeling. Every once in a while she'd peek at him from under her lashes, but other than that she merely sat there like a stone. She heard him call out her name, and merely said, "Lazy butt." _

_"But," he closed his mouth for a moment. "That's boring. All we do is learn in the Academy. I just want to relax for once…" _

_She frowned at him, "But you relax everyday after we leave the Academy, Shikamaru-kun. Don't you want to be a wonderful shinobi one day?" She smiled, bringing her knees up so that she could wrap her arms around them, and rested her chin on her knees. "What is your dream, Shikamaru-kun?" _

_"Um… I don't know," he whispered, blushing again. _

_She blinked, "You have to have a dream, Shikamaru-kun! I have a dream! I want to be as good as nii-san someday! He's a genius…" she blushed, whispering the end, "Just like you are Shikamaru-kun…" _

_His blush became darker, "I-I… um…" He always got this way whenever she praised his intelligence, since everyone always said that he was one of the smartest people of his age. "I… I guess I want to…" he thought quickly, thinking about what his parents had, "I want to make an average salary… um… marry someday so that I can have a boy and a girl, and then retire when my daughter is married and my son is independent…" He was about to continue, until he heard the girl's giggle, her hands over her mouth, trying to stop the giggles. _

_"That sounds so normal, though, Shikamaru-kun," she said. She allowed her legs to straighten, placing her hands onto the ground behind her. "Don't you want something that no one else has? I mean, I know that most of the time you don't get it, but its good to have something to reach for, that way you can improve yourself in order to try. Then you can't regret that you didn't reach it, but the things that you did in order to try. That's what my mother says, at least." _

_His blush spread, "I don't know." He took a quick glance at her, his blush darkening to a point that he never thought it could, _I do. I… I want you… I to marry you someday…_ He knew that it probably wouldn't happen, though. She'd probably end up marrying some great Hyuuga, or Uchiha one day, instead of him. _

_She smiled, "That's alright, Shikamaru-kun! You'll know someday." _

_He smiled as well, feeling her lay her head down on his shoulder, "Thanks…" _

_"…me-chan, its time to go," came another voice. _

_She turned her head, "Nii-san!" Within moments she'd left his side, and Shikamaru turned to find similar obsidian eyes glaring at him. However, the girl bound over to her elder brother, clasped her hands together and said, "Nii-san, can you teach me something tomorrow, please? I want to learn something!" _

_A hand was placed onto her head, "You still need to practice your accuracy, and hitting targets." _

_She giggled, "We can do that some other time, nii-san! I want to learn something cool!" _

_The boy sighed, "Yet easy…?" _

_"No," she said, shaking her head. "I want to learn something cool that will make me work on other things as well, nii-san! Please?" _

_"…Fine."_

Once more Shikamaru was awakened, this time by the feeling that someone was poking him in the shoulder. He opened his eyes halfway to find Uzumaki Naruto standing over him, peering at him as if in deep thought. Rolling his eyes, he waited to find out what the boy wanted. He had a feeling that the girl was about to shout her brother's name, which might have given him some clue as to who she was again.

"Hey, Shikamaru, why were you whispering some girl's name?" Naruto asked. He squatted down with his hands between his legs, peering at him like he was trying to figure out some big puzzle.

"Girl's name?" Shikamaru asked, wondering what Naruto was talking about. His voice was lazy sounding, but on the inside he wanted to begin strangling the boy, demanding what name he had whispered.

Naruto nodded, his eyes suddenly wide. "Yeah, you kept saying, 'Kagome' over and over again. Are you all right, Shikamaru? Have you been playing that stupid game recently? Oh, and why did you say 'Uchiha'? Have you been hanging out with Sasuke-teme lately or something?"

Shikamaru blinked, his mind beginning to click things together. _Kagome… Uchiha?_ He frowned, wondering why he'd said those things. His eyes widened instantly, which was something he rarely ever did, which caused the other boy to stumble backwards.

_"Kagome-chan, its time to go," came another voice. _

_She turned her head, "Nii-san!" Within moments she'd left his side, and Shikamaru turned to find similar obsidian eyes glaring at him. However, the girl bound over to her elder brother, clasped her hands together and said, "Nii-san, can you teach me something tomorrow, please? I want to learn something!" _

_A hand was placed onto her head, "You still need to practice your accuracy, and hitting targets." _

_She giggled, "We can do that some other time, nii-san! I want to learn something cool!" _

_The boy sighed, "Yet easy…?" _

_"No," she said, shaking her head. "I want to learn something cool that will make me work on other things as well, nii-san! Please?" _

_"…Fine." _

It continued, within his mind as he remembered the scene. Her smiling up at her brother as he gave her a soft look, his face otherwise emotionless. The face seemed to come into complete view, the prodigy's face clear of the soft haze his mind had given it.

_She flung herself into the chest of her brother, giggling. "Oh, thank you Itachi-nii-san!"_

"Uchiha Kagome," he whispered. He was on his feet instantly, remembering something that he'd forgotten—something that he should have never forgotten. Something that happened when he was eight years old, and she was seven, her brother coming to get her soon. "That was her name," he said, "Uchiha Kagome!"

"Whaaa?" Naruto blinked, still on his butt from when Shikamaru had startled him. "Uchiha Kagome…?" he questioned, "Wasn't she Sasuke's younger sister who was killed? No… that wasn't it. Itachi took her, didn't he? Something about protecting her because she held more worth than Sasuke-teme?"

Shikamaru didn't pay attention to him, instead his eyes were moving back and forth as he tried to recall what she'd said. And the reason as to why he hadn't remembered her name, since it was weird that it just clicked as soon as Naruto told him who's name he had been whispering. It was unlike him to have acted like this, but he was still stumbled over a bit, and his eyes were half closed as he tried to remember what he wanted to remember.

"Shikamaru?" Naruto asked. "You sure you're alright?"

**FLASHBACK**

"Shikamaru-kun?" came a voice he'd come to enjoy so much. He turned to the girl, watching as she smiled at him, and continued, "Have you missed me?"

He nodded, his voice drawn out as it had become over the years, "Where have you been, Kagome-chan?" Even though he tried hard to hide it, she caught the slight bitterness to his tone, obviously thinking that she'd just decided one day to no longer come watch clouds with him. Clouds were one of her favorite things, though, so he'd doubted that was the reason as to why she was gone for the last two weeks.

She seated herself next to him, "I'm sorry, Shikamaru-kun. I've been training with Itachi-nii-san while Sasuke-nii-san trained with father. Itachi-nii-san has been teaching me how to do some of the fire techniques he knows. Um, like the "Katon: Housenka no Jutsu", since I've gotten really good at the "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu". Nii-san said that I needed to perfect it, but I also needed to learn something a little more… um… he used a really big word that I don't remember." She giggled, smiling at him. "Nii-san said that my chakra level is almost high enough to learn a more advanced technique, but he said that I need to go past that so that I won't run out of chakra with one move."

"Wouldn't Itachi-san want you to be working on the technique then?" Shikamaru asked. Itachi had always wanted Kagome to perfect the technique before he taught her a new one. She'd already perfected the "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu" and he'd taught her his Shadow Imitation Technique, and she'd been working on a few Taijutsu moves that her father had showed her. Sometimes he thought Kagome pushed herself to hard, which was probably why he dragged her out to enjoy the clouds whenever he could.

"Nii-san said that I could enjoy myself today," Kagome said. "He's going to take me out for ramen after I've had my fill of the clouds, or that's what he said," she grinned. "I just wanted to have some fun, since he's been making sure I learn the techniques correctly, unlike when he first tried teaching me a basic Taijutsu move when we were younger."

Shikamaru blinked.

Kagome blushed, "I just… I wanted to spend my time with you, that's all, Shikamaru-kun. Until nii-san comes to take me out to eat, that is."

Shikamaru smiled, leaning back so that he was looking up at the sky. His smile was just as lazy as he was, and Kagome began pestering him soon after about it, though he denied that he was lazy at all. He ended the conversation with a "whatever" soon after it started, only for Kagome to lean back so that she could see the clouds as well.

Instantly she spotted a cloud she liked, "Look, Shikamaru-kun! A shuriken!"

He turned to her, blinked, and said, "You always see shuriken. Maybe your eyes are beginning to play tricks on you."

"My imagination is better than yours," she simply said.

"No its not," Shikamaru said.

"We've been through this before, Shikamaru-kun. I won, of course," she grinned.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, turning his face away. He soon found her leaning over him, her hair longer than it used to be, hanging around them like a curtain. He blinked up at her, wondering why she was so close, and why he eyes looked so sad.

"Shikamaru-kun," she whispered, "if I ever left, would you forget me?"

_Left_, he thought, _why would she leave?_ He shook his head, and closed his eyes from her eyes. He didn't want her to cause him to blush again, like she usually did. A shinobi wasn't supposed to show their true emotions, he knew that, but she always brought out a side of him that wanted to argue and be playful instead of bored all the time.

She scowled at him, "Lazy butt!" She turned away from him, crossed her arms, and ignored him. She continued to ignore him, even after he opened his eyes and blinked a few times at her, wondering why she was suddenly anger. Then again, she was a girl and girls' could be so confusing. She turned to him then, sad eyes staring at him as she whispered, "I'm sorry, Shika-kun…"

He was about to ask her what she was so sorry about, but something blunt hit the back of his head. When he awoke, he was in a hospital bed and people were rushing all over the place. Not because of him, but something about a terrible fire at the Uchiha Mansion, which instantly caught his attention, wondering if Kagome was all right. Then… he heard what broke his heart…

A medic-nin was talking with another one outside his door, her tone sad and shocked. "The rumor is that Itachi, the Uchiha Prodigy, killed everyone before setting it ablaze!"

The other medic-nin gasped, "Were there any survivors?"

"From what I've heard so far," the first said, "no one has been found alive. No, that's not true. One boy was—he was Itachi's younger brother, Sasuke. They say that his younger sister's body hasn't been located yet and they're searching for her everywhere, along with trying to put the fire out. Its terrible."

"Why are they searching for his younger sister's body?"

"Apparently Itachi had a soft spot for her, and they wanted to find out if he truly went mad. Especially when they were seen just a few hours before at the local ramen shop."

**END FLASHBACK**

Shikamaru turned his eyes toward Naruto, tears threatening to spill. "Itachi took her with him?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, I saw her once. Sasuke-teme was surprised, trying to make her come to reason and everything, but she merely turned away."

Shikamaru, laziest shinobi in Konoha, cried right in front of the Kyuubi vessel that day. A bright smile could be found on his face, because he knew that she was still alive, and he knew he loved her. Maybe he'd be able to find her one-day, and he'd be able to change her mind about staying with her brother. He remembered what she had asked, and silently changed it; _my dream is to make you return home, Kagome. To understand my feelings and become my wife—that is what I truly want._

After that he walked away from Naruto, going to train with his team, and hopefully come to learn something new. He knew it would take time, but it was for Kagome. He would do it for her. He'd seen lazy to everyone else, but to her he would be the genius that she'd known him as.

* * *

She stopped, her blood red eyes narrowing as she looked around. She could have sworn she heard something. Like her name being called or something, but she shook her head as soon as she thought that.

Itachi stopped as well, "Are you alright, Kagome?" His partner, Kisame, continued onward, probably knowing that he didn't need to hear what the siblings were saying.

She frowned, "I thought I heard something. Its was nothing, nii-san."

"Very well," Itachi replied. He continued forward afterward.

Kagome walked after him soon after, her eyes moving up toward the cloudy sky as a memory came to her mind. A memory that had haunted her dreams for so many nights and she hoped that _he_ had kept his word. He was so lazy, though; she often thought he might have forgotten all about it. She hoped he hadn't. Placing her arm onto the sword at her side, she watched her brother's back. He believed so strongly in hate, and that pushed him forward, she knew that. She agreed with him, yes, but it was the love for him that made her always grow in strength whenever he deemed that she needed to, but it was also the love for a boy she remembered that pushed her forward as well.

Her eyes, swimming with the sharingan that had activated on her seventh birthday, watched the clouds, and she smiled. She spotted one, which caused her smile to become more brilliant, and she turned it when she realized her brother was once again staring at her for having stopped.

Itachi frowned, it wasn't uncommon for her to smile that way, but her eyes were glowing brighter than they usually did. He was no fool. He knew that his sister was someone who believed in love, happiness, and happy endings. However, she was his sister, the only weakness he had, but she was strong because of the beliefs she had as well. She wasn't a weakness until she was gone, because she made him want to live, and live he did.

He almost rolled his eyes when he heard her say, "That one looks a shuriken." He'd never understand her obsession for the clouds. She was always looking for ones that looked like shuriken, and he was sure he could blame that stupid Nara for that. He was Kagome's weakness, which was the only reason he hadn't killed him the day he'd knocked him unconscious. Unfortunately for him, she'd probably never forget him.

_--Fin_


	18. Never Ending: Himura Kenshin

**_Title:_**_ Never Ending _

**_Summary:_**_ Her duty was never ending, tying her forever to the quest that should have ended a few centuries before. She was like a shadow, always moving, until she found him. Until she fell in love with him… and until she decided that it was time to break the bonds that held her to him. _

**Pairing:** Kenshin/Kagome

**Anime:** Rurouni Kenshin/IY

* * *

Hands tightened their hold around her naked thigh and stomach, both pulling her closer to the body next to her. They were the same hands, which she'd come to admire, no matter what others thought of him. They were the hands that had often protected her, even though she should have been able to protect herself—she had for so long. The same hands that belonged to a man in the Meiji Era, who'd gone through so much in order to suddenly wander across her. The day that proved to be the end of her vow, and it was all because of his hands.

The sweet, wonderful, hands that roamed her the night before like a wild fire for the first time.

The man behind her pressed his face into her shoulder, obviously trying to get closer to her, to take in her scent more easily. He sought comfort from the woman who he'd roamed with for the last year, the same woman who commanded his attention, even when he slept. Her sweet scent entangled him further into her enchanted web, almost like it was a sweet, sweet song to his senses. Even unconscious he knew that, but he didn't care anymore. Not even now, because it was just her and him and nothing could change that.

She sighed, placing her hands over the ones that trapped her within his embrace. So warm he was. So sweet and innocent, even if he had spent so much time spilling the blood of others. He seemed like an entirely different person then when she'd first heard of him years ago. War was something that had always come and gone while she wandered alone, but this had been filled with it before the revolution. It was not hard to believe that he had been apart of it, but she was happy that he'd decided to help others instead. To never dirty his hands with blood again.

If only she could be so lucky.

She shifted quietly; bringing the hand on her stomach up to her chest, over a small scorch mark. It was round, perfectly shaped all around, like the full moon that often hung in the sky whenever she decided to glance there. However, it held a different purpose, even if she would never tell her recent lover where it was from. What it meant! She knew he was curious about it, almost since the exact moment he'd seen it, since it was directly above her heart, and looked like she'd been branded. She could only wish that was the true reason she held such a scar from the past.

A long ago past that seemed like a blissful dream now—a dream that faded with each passing day. It was like a memory that continued to slip away from her grasp as she tried to hang onto the soaked surface. Each and every time, though, she'd find herself off balance and falling away. Drowning in her own loneliness during the day as she remembered things from everyday routines, sights, and sounds. Drowning in a sea of tranquility during the night that ended as soon as she opened her eyes to the yearning sun.

Someone had once told her that the past should stay in the past, and she'd thought that true until she'd fallen down that stupid well. Because she'd been there to help save the past in order to carve the future. She'd been so confused about what that actually meant until the moment they'd finally put an end to their foe. The moment that her world came crashing down around her. For in an instant she had changed from the somewhat ordinary girl of fifteen to the endless wanderer who would never be able to find peace.

_Like Kikyo_, her mind spat at her. She agreed with it, for Kikyo had once walked the earth as another somewhat ordinary woman. She'd wanted the same things that other women wanted, but Kikyo had been given a great responsibility. One that had her killed in the process. Then, after fifty long years she was resurrected and walked the earth as nothing but a shell from the past. Kikyo, as long as she fed on the souls of other women, would have lived forever if she had not been struck down. She would have been an image of the past that would never wither away because her body could not. But no, that right had been reserved for her.

Higurashi Kagome, the woman who had stopped aging at the age of nineteen. The woman who had been alive since the Sengoku Jidai until the moment in time that she found herself now. The woman who had found her power had increased and then diminished as time went on and demons faded away from the eyes of man. The woman of legends! The woman… who housed a powerful item within her body—an item that ruined her life!

On pure instinct she pressed herself closer to her companion, wondering where her life had gone so wrong. When did she do something so wrong that she deserved to forever protect and survive a jewel of any kind? When did she do something so wrong that the souls inside said jewel decided to make her watch her loved ones die? Why did she deserve to never be able to keep a companion for long, in fear that they might find out her secret?

A tear fell from her eye. Why was she cursed to fall in love again…? Why was she so cursed that she'd break the very vow she'd given herself for a former samurai to become her companion? Why did she have to open her, what she thought to be, stone heart to him? Her face fell more as she thought about it. She was cursed. She was cursed by an item called the Shikon no Tama, a pure item that had to be handled with care.

An item that would once again force her to give up that which she wanted desperately. For that was truly what she wanted. She wanted to stay there in the room she'd rented for the night with her new lover and she wanted to forever be held by him… but…

Her duty was never ending.

She could not suddenly unbind the chains that the Shikon no Tama used to hold her with. She could not release herself from the duty, which she'd come to know meant loneliness. She could not suddenly jump into the arms of a handsome man who'd once risked his life for her simply because she did not want to go through life without him. She knew that her heart wished for these things to suddenly disappear from her past and allow her to be with a man who'd slain many, but they never would. They were apart of her very essence and her duty was more important than her wishes and dreams. The jewel would never grant them for they were selfish things and so she held onto what she knew had to end soon.

She'd come to understand that the moment she realized the Shikon no Tama had sealed off her path to the future. She'd found at that moment that she'd forever have to run away from that which she wanted. She'd had to as soon as she realized she brought too much chaos to the new Taijiya Village, started again by Sango and Miroku and Sango's apprentice. So she'd left and wandered like she'd come accustomed to after so many years. The thing she wanted in life were too selfish for her to have, thus she needed to stay away from it all by running. Running…

She held herself so that she did not suddenly run away, like she always did. She'd ran away when Inuyasha had went to Kikyo; she'd ran away when Kouga demanded she be his mate; she'd run away when a young man a few years back wanted her as his bride… and she'd continue running. No one could ever know her secret; except for the select few she knew would keep it. They'd know as soon as they found she didn't age. They'd know and they'd wish to know her secret, which she could never tell them. Then they'd try to kill her and would be killed in the process, thus she would be considered a monster. So, she'd promised herself that she'd never become too emotionally attached, that she'd run when she felt death snapping at her heels.

She'd been holding herself since the moment she'd found _him_ cute. She'd been stunned, since she'd missed Inuyasha since his death. She knew she should have still been mourning her first love's death for a very long time with her eternity. She knew, but at the time she felt that perhaps that was time to leave, to never turn back in fear that he might catch onto her. However, she'd been so lonely since Inuyasha's death, since he would have lived at least seven hundred years or so according to his elder brother. At the time she'd told herself it was for the best, she would have hated the fact he'd died if he'd stayed by her side longer, but things changed. She'd met him.

It had been raining; cold and bleak like the many that she'd seen. She'd been standing with a hat covering her face—she'd found long ago it was easier to blend in if she didn't have her future items—outside of a small town. She'd been debating whether to enter or not when a rather large man had come to her, telling her that he wanted something warm to cuddle with. She'd been disgusted that he was trying to get _her_ into bed with _him_ he'd been so dirty and she'd turned her nose to him. It had been the wrong move and from her long experience she should have known that.

As she went to walk away, deciding at that moment that she would find somewhere else to stay for the night, he'd grabbed her arm. Her first option was to give him a nice roundhouse kick in the face, the second was to possibly repel him with her miko barrier, and her third was to fling him over her shoulder. She wasn't sure which would hurt him most, which wouldn't hurt because of his size, or which would fail because she didn't know his abilities. And then, as she tried to pull her arm away from him, snapping at him that he shouldn't treat women in such a way, _he_ made his first appearance.

Himura Kenshin. The wanderer who'd once been known as the Hitokiri Battousai.

She stopped struggling when _he_'d finally began to speak, saying something about how forcing women was wrong with a "that it is" at the end. She'd always seen that as something that only he'd do—something that made him who he was. Even in the rain she'd been able to see his red form, and the sword he drew from its sheath. She'd been confused to find that it was a sakabato, and wondered why he'd carry around such a thing. True, to most it would seem useless, but to one who did not wish to kill it was the weapon of choice. It was a weapon that seemed almost perfect for him.

With her assailant's attention drawn elsewhere she'd quickly did the only thing she could think of: she bit into the male's hand. He'd screamed and released her, yelling about how she was a bitch and should die for hurting someone as powerful as he was. It had caused her to snort, quickly moving away from him before he was able to backhand her. She hadn't known that Kenshin had merely drawn his sword as a distraction at the time, but almost instantly she had had a hand clamped onto hers and they began to run. The man who'd wanted to keep her for the night gave chase, but her savior had been crafty and tricked him by making him think they'd disappeared. It was a simple trick that involved hiding, but it worked perfectly on one of his intelligence.

They'd been drenched by the time the other man mumbled something about looking in the morning and stomped away. Of course, she had been better off because she was wearing the hat Miroku's descendants had given her many years ago, extremely worn but useable, but he was completely soaked. She'd blinked at him, wondering why someone would be so kind, but there would always be people like that. Her first hand experience from the Sengoku Jidai to the Meiji Era had been to stay away from men, though. So why had one saved her? Her first thought was, _he's going to expect something from me. Men are all the same._

It was amusing now that he'd proven her wrong. He'd sheathed his sword before he'd grabbed her hand in their escape, and merely gave her a stupid grin. He'd said something about that being exciting with "that it was" attached to the end. She'd blinked at him, wondering why he was being so nice to a stranger. The years had made her more cautious and suspicious of others. Then he'd simply asked if she would be all right on her own and once she nodded he began to walk away. Walk away as if he'd done a good deed and there was nothing else to be done, which confused her. However, she'd smiled when she heard his stomach growl and asked him if he'd like something to eat. Though he'd protested at first at having her spend her money on him, he eventually gave in.

She didn't know why, but she'd found she laughed when he joked or acted stupid, and she liked the way he was. So, she'd tailed him once he'd left and soon joined him once she discovered she had been noticed. He'd said that he didn't know where he was going, he'd know when he found it, and she'd smiled, saying that she was doing something similar. Together they'd simply become wanderers' with company. He said he'd protect her while she traveled with him and she told him that she would buy him food, since he barely had any money. She had some old coins that were worth a lot, so it wasn't hard to keep going in this era and it wouldn't bother her. He'd protested about it, but she'd eventually been able to make him see that it was for the best, before she'd smirked and added, "that it is."

Kagome closed her eyes to the memory that came with it, how he'd smiled at her, his eyes brightening for no reason. His stupid grin replaced his smile once he'd learned that he would be fed everyday, instead of starving himself for a couple of days until he worked for money, though. She was sure he often wondered where she'd gotten such coins, she had around two hundred from the Sengoku Jidai still, after all, but he never questioned her. He probably just thought she'd gotten them from her family or something. It was better that way.

Kenshin shivered against her skin and she looked down to find that she'd somehow managed to remove the blanket they'd been using that night. It was rather cold outside. She'd be careless to let it stay there, especially when Kenshin pulled her closer, trying to take in her heat. A small smile formed on her lips as she turned to look at his calm face, moving in his arms so that she could roll over. Afterward his arms once again tightened around her, while she rested a hand on his chest.

Could she…? She'd once told herself that she'd never be able to love, that no one would ever love her because of something. Kenshin, though, treated her like he loved her. He'd whispered it into her ear during their lustful activities the night before, but had they truly been his own words? Had he merely been caught up in the act that he'd felt the need to reassure her, to make sure she didn't push him away? She wasn't sure, and she wasn't really sure if she wanted to find out. Finding out would be the hardest part. Because then it would haunt her once she…

She nodded, placing her forehead against his skin. _It will be better this way_, she said to herself. Her fingers spread out to cover as much skin as she could, wanting to feel him for the moment. Her mind was in a knot. She knew that she had to break her connection with him, or she would end up telling him about who she was really was. About her entire adventure and that she could never age, and he'd probably laugh at her. Kenshin usually listened to what she said and gave advise to certain things, but she was sure he'd laugh upon hearing such a thing. It seemed farfetched, after all.

Another tear managed to find an escape at the corner of her eye. She reached out to pull the blanket over them in that instant, wanting to find something to do in order to distract herself. Especially since she wasn't able to sleep since the night before, thinking about what she was planning. She was sure he knew, that he was wondering why she had been acting so strange, but she couldn't tell him. Telling him meant facing the truth.

Her duty was never ending. One day he would die and she would live on forever, protecting an item that still radiated its awesome power, but was hidden within her soul. She didn't think she could bare watching him grow old while she stayed so young, loving him, yet falling apart knowing that within the blink of her eye he would be gone. It had happened before. One minute she would be simply walking and the next it would be a few weeks later. So, she could only be faithful to her duty. It was never ending, as was she, but he was not. He would die…

She didn't deserve him…

She managed to get the blanket covering them as the sun began to rise once more and sighed. She closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around his body, and rested her ear against his chest. She wanted to know that he was still alive, that his heart still beat. That she wouldn't have to watch him die, but she would know that the last time she saw him he was alive and well. To know that she loved him and hope that somewhere within his heart he loved her as well. After all, a year with a person was a long time.

She stayed there, knowing that Kenshin would not wake for some time. Knowing that _it_ had to be done. Kenshin would understand someday, even if he was angry at her at first and sought after her. A drifting thought passed through her mind, _perhaps that was why he said such words to me… Maybe all he wants is for me to stay and be loyal to him for the rest of my… his life._

They were the words that broke the camels back. She shot up, trying not to wake the sleeping man who searched for her warmth once she was gone. She touched his cheek to show him she was still there and he calmed, but wrapped himself in the blanket tighter. She began to dress afterward, fumbling with the ties and putting on her sandals faster than she thought possible. All the while a quiet, choking sob could be heard coming from her throat, tears streaming from her eyes. She did want to stay with him, but she didn't want to see another person die. She didn't want to see another man she'd come to love slip away from her grasp.

She didn't… _Does that make me a bad person?_ Kagome wondered.

She shook her head, telling herself that in this case it didn't. She was protecting him from her. He needed to be protected from her. He'd been hurt by Tomoe already, he didn't need his heart broken once again. He didn't need to know of the blood she had many times tried to wipe from her hands, nor the nightmares that haunted her. He didn't need to know the eternal lifespan she would have, nor did he need to know of the memories that flickered in her head. He didn't need any of that, and that was why she would protect him. He wouldn't like it, she was sure, but he would come to understand… someday.

She stood at the sliding door for a moment as she told herself that this was the only way. The sun was shining into the room by then, but her body stopped it from hitting him in the face and possibly waking him to find her leaving. She forced down the sobs that were still heaving in her chest, silently praying _please understand. Please, please don't hate me once you find I'm gone. Please…_ Kagome sniffled, "I love you. Try to understand…"

* * *

He mumbled a little, scratching at his nose as he began to blink his eyes open. He smiled to himself. Today was a wonderful day, the day when he'd finally be able to ask Kagome to stay with him forever. His little tenshi was too good for him, but she often told him he was too good for her. They would be too good for each other together. He would protect her and she would smile at him, bringing him happiness that he didn't quite understand.

He felt like he was fumbling in the dark.

The thought made him smile, wrapping his arms around nothing as he came to realize that he wasn't holding anything. Not a person, not an article of clothing, nothing but air. He blinked, _where is Kagome? Surely she did not go for a walk this early? It is dangerous, that it is._

Concerned as to where his tenshi could have gone, Kenshin turned his head this way and that in order to make sure she was no longer in the room. It meant that she either went to bathe or she went to merely get some air. Yes, for Kagome had once said that she loved to merely walk through the trees of a forest and listen to the sound of nature around her. It made her calm. Perhaps she had thought about doing that this morning, since she'd been rather tense the night before. Until… well. Kenshin gave a small smile, before grinning to himself.

He felt like the luckiest man alive. Not because Kagome was generous or always wished to make him happy, but because of what he felt. Because he knew the feelings that were rushing through his veins, even though he'd been mourning for nearly a decade before he'd found her. It was so strange how love decided to strike individual beings, but he was happy it had once again come to him. After all, who could not love Kagome? She was everything. Everything a man could have hoped for, even if she was only a wanderer like himself.

Kenshin yawned, his smile lazy as he thought of the things he could do from that point in time. He hadn't actually meant to sleep with his companion, but she'd began crying for no reason. He'd asked her what was wrong, told her that she could tell him anything if she wanted to, and she'd suddenly flung herself into his arms. He'd tried to comfort her the best he could, but he soon found her gazing at him with a strange look. Then her lips had fell onto his, and he'd told her she should think before doing such things, before she shushed him in order to continue. He'd been caught up in the moment, but he was sure that she didn't care. She'd merely needed him and he was happy he'd been able to help her the way she needed him.

His smile faded into a frown as he thought about it. He knew from the night before that Kagome hadn't been a virgin, simply because she'd told him afterward while sitting in his lap. He hadn't really noticed within his passion, so he asked her why she hadn't been married to the man. Her answer had been because the men, Youko had been his name, had died trying to steal something. She'd mumbled that she hadn't really loved him, that he'd merely comforted her after one of her friends had died. He'd felt ashamed at having bringing such memories to her, but was happy to hear her laugh and tell him that it didn't matter. That most of the memories were good ones.

Still. Perhaps the reason why she wasn't by his side at the moment was because she felt ashamed that she'd done such a thing with him. That she'd so easily forgot the emotions that this Youko perhaps gave her to merely feel him. It made him frown deeper, feeling the Battousai side of him, as if it wanted to make her forget everything about that other man. He held it back knowing that there would be no good from it, and glanced over to see if Kagome had left anything behind.

Everything the miko carried was gone. Her bow and arrows, her clothing, the small bag that she carried her money within—everything she had was gone. That meant one of two things. Either she'd gone to bathe or… or she was just gone. His frown deepened, hoping that it was not the latter of the two.

After all, he had told her he loved her. He meant it. Surely she had not thought that he didn't and had merely taken advantage of her weakened state of mind. He would never do such a thing to her. She had to know and understand that by now. She had to. He'd come to understand her so well, so it would only be logical that she understood him as much, if not more. He'd always told himself that he needed to be less open with others, even if he trusted them, but Kagome had somehow made him tell everything.

Like he needed to tell her in order to survive.

He stayed there, merely sitting in order to wait for her until he was sure that she was doing something other than bathing. It never took her that long in order to do such a simple thing. After he was sure he stood and quickly put on his clothing, slipped his sword at his side, and made sure that he had everything he needed. Once sure he went to the door, knowing that the innkeeper would have the room checked by noon to make sure they had left and then rent it out again to whoever wished for it. There would be no reason for him to go tell him that they were leaving and no longer needed it.

Kenshin slid the sliding door behind him, looking around the small town that they'd come to reside in for the night. His violet eyes made sure to leave no person unchecked for his tenshi, before beginning to walk away from the inn. The sound of his sandals against the dirt road echoed loudest in his ears as he looked down alleyways and made sure to check the face of every person who past him. It would do him no good to walk by her and have her completely 'freak', as she put it, when she found out he was gone.

It was a rather large town, with many people moving about, and more beginning to wake. However, he took no notice to this, searching silently as he went. He moved around people, looking at faces and over their heads in order to try and catch a glimpse of her. With each passing moment he became more concerned, wondering where she could have went.

_Perhaps she is merely gone… left without telling… _

He stopped, blinking as the thought once more occurred to him. Kenshin knew there was a possibility that she was either ashamed with herself or that she simply did not wish to confront him. Perhaps she was merely waiting a few hours in order to calm herself, or maybe she'd decided that it was time to… separate herself from him. He bit the inside of his lip. _Perhaps that was the reason for her mood last night… No,_ he thought, _Kagome is too kind for such a thing, that she is._

Gripping the sheath to his sakabato, he continued forward, determination beginning to fill his body. He would find her. She was still there! There was no reason for her to feel even a bit of shame because of her actions, nor was there a reason for her to suddenly slink away. She wasn't the type to simply stay with a man in order to sleep with him before leaving them. And she'd never showed even a hint of such behavior.

So caught up in his thoughts he didn't realize that there was an elderly woman walking in his path. He wanted to stomp about, demanding the gods themselves to bring back his tenshi. He knew that such a thing would not bold well for him, since it would probably do nothing in the end. Merely have him stared at like he was going crazy or something, but not bring back his tenshi. Kenshin frowned again, his face having been a near emotionless mask before as he tried to make sense out of the situation at hand.

He was jolted out of his silent rant when he felt someone else bump into him. Looking down he quickly brought his hands up in defense, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention as much as I should have been, that I wasn't!" He noticed the elderly woman before him was merely smiling, shaking her head slightly as she bent to pick up the basket she'd dropped.

"That's quite alright, young man," she said.

Kenshin sighed, "Please forgive me, I did not mean to rude. I'm merely looking for—"

The elderly woman put her hand up to silence him. Once he stopped talking she nodded, saying, "I understand. Do not let this old woman keep you if you're looking for someone. After all, I'm sure that youngsters have more important things to do then stand in the middle of the street apologizing to people they bump into." She suddenly brought her hand up to clasp her chin between her fingers, "You're the young man who came with the miko, are you not?"

Kenshin smiled, "Kagome-dono? Yes, she is a miko. She was not in," he sidestepped the thing he was going to say, continuing, "I could not find her this morning, that I could not." His smile faded when he noticed the slightly sad look the woman was giving him, and asked, "Have you seen Kagome-dono this morning?"

"I believe so," the woman sighed. "The miko that came with you yesterday was about this high," she motioned with her hand and got a nod, "with wavy black hair, blue eyes, a bow and arrows, and a small scratch mark on her neck near her shoulder, was she not?"

"Yes," Kenshin said, slightly worried about why the woman would be asking him. His mood went spiraling down a dark road as he thought about what the woman could have known. There were so many things that could have happened to a woman as beautiful as Kagome. Any man would have been able to see such a thing, and many of them wouldn't give a damn if she wanted to go with them or not. They wouldn't care if she was a holy woman who would not whore herself around like so many others.

The woman nodded. "I saw her this morning. She was quite distressed, it seemed. Continued looking back as if someone was going to jump out at her at any moment, if I remember correctly. She went straight toward the end of town, running as she neared it, like she wanted to get away from something as fast as she could." She frowned, "Almost like she was afraid someone would stop her from leaving. I believe she was crying, as well. There was a slight fog this morning, though, I could be wrong about that. However, she ran right past me, almost like she didn't even know I was there. I'm sure it was the same woman, though."

His breath caught in his throat. "S-she's gone?"

The woman nodded sadly, "I'm so sorry, young man. If it will help any, she ran off toward the western exit and left that way. I believe she was following that road there," she pointed to one off to the west. "I didn't really know if she was frightened or merely wished to leave without disturbance because of something that happened during the night. I thought perhaps you, since I remembered you from the night before, might like to know where she was going. In case she wished for you to follow."

Kenshin nodded, "Thank you. I believe that will help. I shall follow her, that I will."

The woman smiled a little, "I hope you find her, young man. She looked almost like she was breaking her own heart. I don't remember a time where I've ever seen such a look, nor do I wish to see it again. It was saddening to know that she was… _running_, even when it was clear she did not want to."

He nodded dumbly this time, gripping his sakabato's sheath between his fingers again. Once again thanking the elderly woman, he turned so that he could begin following the path that his tenshi had taken. He would not allow her to get away so easily, even if she wanted to _run_ away from what had happened. A fierce look formed in his eyes as he said, "I will find her, that I will."

Without looking back he began walking, his feet moving forward, though he barely seemed to notice. His mind was on one thing that would probably haunt him for the rest of his life.

_He might not find her_… no matter how far he searched.

The elderly woman smirked, tiny fangs shining in the light of the day as she watched the former samurai walk away. Her tiny-clawed hands gripped the basket she was holding, before she allowed one to slip away from the handle. It sank into the cloth that she'd bought and quickly found a small round orb wrapped within it. Bringing it up to her face she watched the sight of the running miko as she tried to run away from her fear. "Poor, poor, little miko. Such a shame you were cursed to live forever. Midoriko will soon see that as a mistake, though, so do not worry. Allow your heart to guide you, for you will see your newest love soon enough. I have seen it and everything I see comes true. You cannot escape your destiny."

* * *

He walked forward, his eyes happy, yet sad, as he once again had the image of a young miko spring up in his mind. It had been nearly a year since he stopped searching; dread filling his body when he came to realize he might never find his tenshi. He'd bumped into Kaoru while he was searching, which was what brought him into the situation he was currently in. Trying to understand why he was always thinking of his tenshi when his heart was beginning to once again reopen to the little tanuki he lived with.

If it weren't for his searching, though, he probably wouldn't have ever met Kaoru, Yahiko, Sanosuke, or any of the others that he now knew. The people that he now cared for and wished to protect, even if his heart still yearned for a single face. A face that he was beginning to believe would never again show itself, no matter how much he wanted it to. The face of the woman he had once wandered with.

Sanosuke walked beside him, almost like the man was making sure he'd do all the work. He was, after all, carrying all the rice when Sano was supposed to be helping him. It showed just how much the former fighter-for-hire really wished to help him, how much he just wanted to sit around and do nothing. Even that reminded him of Kagome, for she would have done the exact opposite. She would have told him that she would do it all and try, even if he ended up helping her in the end.

He knew he was unworthy of many things in life. One of them being the fact that he wished to find peace, which he'd thought he'd found many times, only to have it ripped away from him. He knew he was unworthy to even glimpse at a woman as pure as Kagome, yet he had come into contact with her and had fallen so hard. Kagome had once told him that he wasn't unworthy of anything that he should be able to have whatever he wanted, though he knew they were only words. He was unworthy of many things, which was why the world ripped Kagome away from him. He did not understand why it decided to give him the company of Kaoru, though, since he should have been unworthy for her as well.

Especially with the amount of blood he'd spilled on his hands.

Sano turned to Kenshin as he sighed, wondering what exactly had gotten into the former Hitokiri Battousai. It wasn't uncommon for Kenshin to act similar to how he was acting at the moment but he seemed depressed almost. Like he was thinking about something that he just didn't know how to approach. An idea came to him, maybe Kenshin was thinking about his relationship with jou-chan? Maybe he didn't know how to tell Kaoru how he felt? "You should just tell her," he said, knocking the former samurai out of his thoughts.

"_Oro_?" Kenshin asked, turning quickly to Sanosuke.

"You should just tell Jou-chan how you feel," he replied, smirking a little at his intelligence. He was sure that was what was bothering Kenshin, since there really wasn't anything else that might be. Kenshin would thank him for the rest of his life once he gave him the advice he needed.

"Kaoru-dono?" he blinked.

"Yeah," Sano nodded. He turned, his eyebrows knitting together at what he saw. Blinking a few times, he said, "That's not something you see everyday."

Kenshin frowned, "What do you mean, Sano?"

Sano pointed toward a crowd of people. "The last time I saw a miko was when I was a little kid. I thought wandering mikos' were a thing of the past and they only stayed with their villages now a days."

"Wandering miko?" Kenshin felt his breath catch in his throat. He turned to where Sanosuke was pointing and felt his heart stop at what he saw. There, not even twenty feet away, stood the woman whose face continued to haunt him. She was smiling as if there was nothing else in the world she could want, but he saw the sadness in her smile as she looked about the people around her.

"Miko-sama, please bless our home!" someone called out from the crowd.

Another pushed the person aside, "Miko-sama, could you please help my family? My son is ill and we haven't been able to figure out what has sickened him."

There was a panting man, "Please, miko-sama! My wife has been ill as of late and I'm not sure she'll make it another night. She says she feels death and I do not wish to lose her so early in life. Please, miko-sama?"

Kagome lifted her hands to silence them, "Please, I will come to all of your needs. That is my duty and I shall do it to the best of my ability." She smiled at them a little brighter, her attention only leaving them for a moment when she realized a ball was soaring toward her. People parted as it came flying, but she merely stood there, allowing the training Sango had given her to lift her into the air and kick the ball back to the children who were playing with it.

Sano whistled, "Wow. Look at that. Too bad she's a holy woman…" Taking a glance at the redhead at his side he frowned, "Kenshin, you alright, man?"

"Kagome…"

Sano blinked, "You know that woman?" He tilted his head a little to the side to watch the expression that was floating across Kenshin's face. _Maybe I was wrong…_ wafted through his head. Could it be, from the shock and happiness in Kenshin's face, that the emotions from before were because of the woman before them? His eyes narrowed a little, wondering if she was truly a holy woman, or merely an imposter. Then again, she probably was and he'd get hit upside the head later for thinking otherwise.

Sanosuke decided to merely glower at the ground. He'd noticed the way that jou-chan looked at Kenshin, and how the former samurai was beginning to return to her feelings. From what was happening, though, he was sure that the reason why Kenshin hadn't earlier was because of something else. Or some_one_ else. Now it seemed that Kaoru would be given up because of the love shining in Kenshin's eyes toward this _Kagome_. Kaoru deserved happiness, but Kenshin deserved it as well, didn't he? Kaoru would bounce back, but it appeared that it had taken Kenshin a long time to do so, only to recoil within seconds. It couldn't be helped if that was what was supposed to happen.

His head shot up at the sound of the rice hitting the ground, one of them splitting open and rice spilling out over the ground as Kenshin took a step forward. He was ready to yell at Kenshin for being such a klutz and dropping the food he'd planned to eat. As he opened his mouth, though, he saw the uncertain look in Kenshin's eyes, almost like he was afraid the woman would suddenly disappear. It made him wonder why the woman hadn't been with Kenshin when he'd come to know Kaoru and showed up out of the blue. Perhaps she'd run away because of some reason and never returned, leaving Kenshin alone once again.

He didn't know just how close he was to the truth.

His heart thumped wildly against his chest, making him wonder why exactly it still did that. Wasn't he starting to return Kaoru's feeling slowly, softly so he didn't rush into anything again? Why didn't heat rush through his body when he gazed at Kaoru? Why did he leer at Kagome like he couldn't wait to strip her when she deserved so much better than that? He was unworthy of them both; it was clear from how he treated them both. Especially when neither ever wanted anything in return, though he'd always given something.

"Kagome-dono," he whispered, taking another step forward. He told himself to go slow, to make sure that he was seeing what he believed he was seeing. That Kagome wouldn't suddenly end up being so completely different woman before his eyes. That she was truly there, flesh and blood, not a figment of his imagination. That she would be incased in his arms should he go to embrace her.

Sano grumbled, before hitting Kenshin in the back of the head. The former samurai turned to him confused and he snapped, "What the hell are you waiting for? Go to her before she decides whom to help first! Who knows how long you'll have to wait should you not hurry up and get over there!"

He nodded dumbly, wondering what had gotten into Sanosuke all of a sudden. He was glad for his assistance, though, because if he had waited any longer he would have had to wait all day more in likely to speak with her. By then she probably would have ran out of town and he wouldn't have been able to follow her. He would have felt guilty about leaving the people he'd come to care for without telling them where he was going. Especially when this place almost felt like home to him lately.

He turned quickly, beginning to run, stumbling a few times as he went. His hands hit the ground whenever he did, quickly pushing him up off the ground before he slammed against it. It would have done him no good to end up lying in the road when the woman he loved was so close. "Kagome-dono!" he yelled, watching as she turned with an elderly woman, speaking softly with her. She turned, blinking in surprise, before shaking her head. "Kagome-dono!"

Kagome stiffened, standing straighter than normal as she thought _I know that voice._ Once again she turned around to find the people who wished for her help were still standing around her. They parted for someone as a person began pushing through them, her name coming from somewhere near the separation. Her eyes caught sight of red hair while the elderly woman at her side tugged at her sleeve.

"_You cannot deny your destiny… it is fate, poor little miko…_" She tugged again at the miko's sleeve, smiling a small smile as she watched her face change from shock to confusion. Her tiny claws sank into the girl's skin without her noticing, just barely allowing a bit of poison to enter her system. To merely keep her still, instead of running off in order to deny what was coming. To deny what she knew the girl felt within her heart after so many years of torturing herself.

"Kagome-dono!"

"K-K-Kenshin," she stuttered, her eyes widening. Before her was the very man she'd told herself she'd never see again. Her heart ached to reach out, to brush his hair with her fingers, and touch his skin without hesitation. To gently place her lips onto his own and run her fingers over his unprotected chest once she stripped him of his clothing. Heat flooded into her body, flushing her face and down into her kimono as she remembered the last night she'd spent with him. The first and only time she'd ever touched him.

"Sanosuke?"

Sano turned to find Kaoru standing with a grumbling Yahiko, and frowned a little. He nodded at her, turned his attention back to Kenshin, and waited for the question he knew would come sooner or later. Especially since jou-chan had just began to completely show her feelings for Kenshin. He knew he could expect the waterworks later on once she was alone.

"Who's that miko, Sanosuke? I don't think I've ever seen her before?" Kaoru asked, straightening out her kimono a little. She took a glance at the miko who had a small bag strung over her shoulder. She also carried a bow and a quiver of arrows on her back, but looked as if she was extremely frightened by something. Her eyes turned so that she could see Kenshin standing in front of her, the people around them having spread out to watch.

"Kenshin said her name is Kagome. I don't know what's going on, but I think he knows her," Sano explained lightly, trying to keep Kaoru's tears at bay. He saw Yahiko send him a questioning look, but ignored it, watching the miko as she simply stood there.

"_Kagome_-dono—"

Her nose wrinkled up a bit, "I told you to call me Kagome. Why must you insist to keep calling me miss, Kenshin?"

He panted a little from hearing her voice. "It is proper to a woman of your status, that it is."

Kagome smiled a little, gazing into his eyes. She tried to rip her gaze away, knowing that she'd once more find herself falling into their violet depths. A sob almost escaped her chest as she thought of what she'd have to do, even after this small meeting. She had a duty. "I don't think you've ever truly believed that, Kenshin." She smirked, "That _I_ don't."

He smiled, stepping closer to her. "I searched for you."

She nodded, "I know. I thought you probably would. I made sure to hide my tracks… I didn't want to hurt you."

His eyes changed a little, almost until they looked golden in color. "You hurt me more by leaving, instead of telling me what was wrong; that you did." He turned his face away, trying to come to terms with the fact that she was indeed standing before him. "I looked everywhere for you after I realized you weren't going to return to my side. I wanted to know why you left so suddenly when… when we… I thought that maybe…"

He looked so flustered and confused. She'd done that; she knew she'd done that. She wanted nothing more than to suddenly jump into his arms and kiss him fully on the lips. She didn't care if it wasn't proper, or if it was out in the open. She wanted to. A tear slid from her eye as she thought about it, barely noticed by anyone around her. _I cannot quit the duty that was given to me_, she whined. _It wouldn't be fair to keep him when he should grow old and die with a woman he could truly love. Why? Why do you wish to hurt me so? Why must you make me cross paths with him once more? Why!_

There was a tiny voice in her head, one that she had not heard for many years. _…We do not wish to hurt you, guardian…_

Guardian? She'd only been called that by the souls within the Shikon no Tama. They hadn't spoken since the time when they told her of her duty. That she would have to protect it not only with her life, but also with her soul and body. To stay alive forever in order to keep it from the hands of evil and so that it couldn't be brought back into the world without a proper guardian again. She almost gave a bitter smile, shaking her head lightly, _yet you do…_

_That was not our intention, guardian. We knew of your open nature with any around you and thought you would not close yourself off to the world. That was your doing, not ours. We expected you to be surrounded by those who loved you and to continue on with life without having to _run _as you have._

She ignored the voices, knowing that they would simply try to make her see their reason. It was not fair that they continued to think she would simply fall into their peaceful world because she needed to. She'd tried everything in order to kill herself about a century ago, but nothing worked. Not weapons, not poison, not acid, not starvation, and not anything else that she could think of. Many of them simply hurt her, while other times one of the souls within the Shikon would take over in order to keep her alive. Her soul kept the evil soul from rising to even give off a spark of demonic energy, for it was forever sleeping as long as she held the jewel.

It was not fair they continued to take her happiness.

She didn't want her happiness taken anymore. She wanted to be able to stay with a person and grow old like they did. She wanted to be able to die with a person she loved, a person who could love her in return. At that moment that person was the redhead before her, but she knew that he would simply _laugh_ once he heard her story. No one in this era would ever believe her story. Not even the man she'd come to love, the yearning for him still fresh in her heart.

"I-I-I am sorry," she whispered. Tears filled her eyes, "I didn't know what else to do. I'm _bound_ to the duty I've been given and I cannot allow anyone to come… To break me from my duty would be… The person I… I can't… I just… Please…"

_Poor, poor, little guardian. You heart cries for the man before you, yet you deny what it wishes simply because of what you've come to believe. You should have listened to us in the beginning. Then you would—_

_Hush… now is not the time,_ another voice whispered above the chorus.

Kagome tilted her head down so that she could no longer see Kenshin's face, even through her bangs. The tears she'd held back so far began streaking down her face one by one. Each one of them was like a small path that would one day lead her to peace, the pain fading with each small drop. A sob caught in her throat a couple of times, before she finally let out a soft whine.

"_Poor, poor, little miko…_"

"Miko-sama?" people asked uncertainly. They glanced about each other, wondering what had caused the miko to cry. Some were slightly disturbed by the sight, never having seen such emotion from a miko, while others tried to sympathize with the girl. Each one of them had the same thing running through their minds, and it was almost like Kagome could hear each and everyone at that moment.

"_Poor, poor, little miko… You heart must ache so…_"

His arms wrapped around her while she continued to sob. He held her, his head resting on top of hers as she buried her face into the front of his clothing. One of his hands gently laid on the small of her back, while the other came up to cradle the back of her head. His mind changed back to one of peace as he was engulfed by the familiar scent that had haunted him for so long. "Shh, Kagome. Shh, it is alright."

_It is unfair what we have done to you, Kagome. It is unfair of us to ask so much of you at such a young age. It is not our right to do such things. I believe it is time for a change. Especially now that your heart bleeds, and your sense of duty turns you more and more toward madness. _The voice was strong, yet soft as it sang out from the piece of her soul the Shikon no Tama had locked onto. It was a woman's voice, one that hushed the others without even raising her voice. It was almost soothing.

_Who are you…?_ Kagome thought, clutching Kenshin tighter against her. "I don't want to run away," she whispered against him. Her grip became tighter, "I don't want to."

Kenshin felt his heart soar, "You don't have to. You don't have to do anything you don't wish to, that you don't." He held Kagome closer, knowing that she was confused and needed him. He wasn't fumbling in the dark anymore, but Kagome was beginning to. A smile formed on his lips, he would help her find her way out. He'd found the way without her, after all. She would need his help, his protection.

_You're wrong,_ Kagome thought. _You're so wrong… but I wish you were right._

She almost thought she could feel the now silent voice smile, though. Right before it spoke once more, the voice echoing in her head as she continued to allow tears to wash over her face. _I am Midoriko, the miko who created the Shikon no Tama as a prison to a powerful demon long ago. I did not think this would eventually happen to one of its guardians. _She almost felt like the smile became bigger. _I did not think the Shikon would be created, either. I thought I was merely sending us both to hell, where we would forever battle one another. Neither side gaining an inch… _

_Midoriko…? _

_I chose you, child. I am the one to blame for your sadness. It is not right to put such a burden on one so young, so pure. It is not right._

His hand slipped a little, becoming bolder as it slipped over her backside. She didn't seem to notice, and for that he was glad, though he was positive most of the women around him thought he was a pervert. His hand moved to her thigh, gently raising it a little as he held her. He wanted nothing more than to suddenly pull her against him, rush off, and _remember_…

_Your heart aches for so little, child. You wish for only the things that all those around you wish for. That is not selfish. That is the gift that you have, the gift that proved you were worthy of the duty as the Shikon no Tama's guardian. Now, though, I feel I have made a mistake by going so far. By allowing this simple task to completely rip a life to pieces. You have been through so much. You deserve to have your hearts desire._

There was a long pause, as Kagome gently lifted her somewhat dry eyes so that she could gaze into Kenshin's. Her heart pleaded, screamed that the words were fulfilled. Not only her heart, but her soul, as well. Both wanted nothing more than to finally be released from the never-ending duty she'd been given. From the duty that just continued, no matter how much she tried to make it stop. To simply end it without anyone having to ever know or miss her.

Kenshin pulled her a little closer, beginning to lift her off the ground. His hands itched to wrap around her thighs and completely lift her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Only so that she was gazing down at him, so that he could carry her to wherever he wished to go. Everything was fuzzy, almost nonexistent around him as he gazed at her. Her eyes were glazed over and he knew she wasn't completely with him, but… He'd missed her.

_Your love should be more important than your duty, child. It should be that way with all who truly deserve it. It is not fair that we take away something you asked for. The only thing you asked for from others, even when you did not receive it. I have seen, and I know. You have not loved in so long and I am happy to see you have chosen another to finally hold your heart in their hands. This Kenshin. You deserve the wish you have wanted since over a year ago. _There was what felt like another smile, _that you do._

Sano noticed that Kaoru had been silent for a very long time, merely staring at the sight with blurry eyes. Yahiko was looking toward the ground with mild anger, but he knew the kid would get over it. He was more worried about jou-chan, especially when she finally turned toward the sacks Kenshin had dropped. He stiffened, knowing that he'd probably be blamed for it.

"Is that what I think it is…?" Kaoru asked, looking at the rice spilled all over the ground. The rice that was bought with very good money, at a somewhat high price—it had been bought with money from her wallet. Money that she knew did not need to be simply flung around like she would never run out. "Sanosuke…"

"It wasn't my fault! It was Kenshin's, I swear!"

_I am sorry, Kagome. I am glad you have found another to love, but I apologize for keeping you so long. Your love should be 'never ending', as you like to put it. You should be allowed to live, grow old, and die like everyone else with the person you love. So, I will give you that._

_Honestly? _

_I do not lie, child. I shall never lie. I will give you your desire, for it is the one that you truly wish for. However, I will give you more for all the years that you have been tormented by the duty we gave you. I shall make your love truly 'never ending' by allowing your soul to be connected to his as a demons would be connected to its mates. You shall die, yes, but your soul will be reincarnated within a few years of his own and they shall find each other, meet, and love once again. You shall love forevermore with your samurai. No matter what happens, you will always find love in each life with his reincarnated soul. Yes, they change, but they shall be similar enough to recognize one another. _

_You promise? _

_Yes, I promise._ Then the voice faded away, and her tears started anew. She almost felt like she knew when it happened, though she wasn't completely sure if it had truly happened at all. _Remember to always love him._

"Kagome? Kagome!" he began to shake her. He would have shook her shoulders if it wasn't for the fact that he had lifted her up above his sakabato, her legs wrapped around his own. He watched her blink, as if coming out of a distant dream, and look down at him.

"Kenshin?" she whispered.

"Yes," he nodded. "At least one would hope so."

She smiled, tears once more coming down her face as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She leaned down, and began to rub her cheek against his own. Her lips touched his ear, causing the former samurai to shiver, and smiled. "I don't think I'll run away this time, just so you know."

He shifted so that he was staring into her eyes once again. "Are you sure? You left quite suddenly the last time, that you did."

"Yeah," she smiled. "Because I've come to terms with how I feel."

He gave her a confused look.

"I love you," she said.

He almost felt like his heart had stopped. However, he smiled, suddenly beginning to spin as he laughed. She clung to him, giggling into his ear as he did. "I love you as well, my tenshi," he whispered. He took notice finally to the people gathered around them and smiled again. It meant he would not have to explain to others that the woman in his arms belonged to him and no one else. He was sure no one would try to take her, since some of them were suspicious about whether he was the Hitokiri Battousai or not. Most of them would steer clear simply because of that.

Her lips touched his for a fleeting moment, and though he tried to follow she managed to lift her head to high for him. Her eyes were shining brighter than he'd ever seen them, but he was glad that he was privileged enough too. His hope of reawakening the desire between them over a year ago was crushed to pieces at her next words. He wanted nothing more than to make love to her, to run his fingers across every piece of her body. She crushed it beneath her foot, though; as he was sure she would crush it many times in the future.

"I believe it best I help these kind people, Kenshin. Now. Um," she blushed, "I did, after all, tell them that I would. I believe it is my duty." She smiled at his frown, but waited for him to put her on the ground. She knew what he was thinking, what he wanted. She also knew there would be time for that later. She wouldn't even think of leaving now that she knew she would no longer live forever, but begin aging normally as she should have been allowed.

Midoriko couldn't have granted her wish any better. Finally she would be loved and she would be allowed to love her dearest in return.

_--Fin _

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Kiba Note:** I know it was very long. 10,691 for the story, without the bit at the top or the 'Fin' and after that. It was to make up for the fact that I haven't updated in forever. For that I am sorry. I've been reading so many different crossovers and my thoughts have been rumbled so much that I have to focus a bit harder than before. I think it could be from my lack of sleep. Hm, oh well. Um, anyway, hope you enjoyed. I was thinking about making this one into a true chapter story once I'm done with at least two of my current chapter stories. I need to work on those. So, I'm off! 


	19. My Dearest: Bankotsu

_**Title:** My Dearest_

_**Summary:** She promised to love him no matter what. Bankotsu is happy, even in death, to find that she is true to her word. Even if she was within the hands of the man who'd had him slain._

**Pairing:** Bankotsu/Kagome

**Anime:** Inuyasha (IY)

* * *

There was once a beautiful maiden and a mercenary who were deeply in love. It was said that the maiden was of a wealthy family, yet kind and loving to those who crossed her path, whether they were human or demon. It was said that the mercenary carried a huge blade, which had killed nearly a hundred humans and demons. It was said that though the mercenary had planned to kidnap the maiden in the beginning, he had fallen in love. It was said that the maiden fell in love as well.

There was once a bastard prince who wished to have the maiden whose heart was already claimed. It was said that this prince, though undeserving of his father's throne upon his deathbed, became jealous of the love between the two. He wanted the maiden for his own and would do anything in order to have her, even if it broke her heart. It was said this prince was nothing in strength compared to the mercenary, thus he sat in wait to find a way to steal fair maiden's heart and thrust the mercenary into bitter darkness.

There was once a servant girl who worked closely with the maiden and her lover, the man she wished so dearly to marry one day. It was said that this servant fell in love with the handsome mercenary and went to seduce him during the night. It was said that the mercenary shoved her aside and told her never to speak with him again, thus breaking her fragile heart. In bitterness it was said the servant tried to kill the beautiful maiden, only for the maiden's father to have stepped inside in time to save her.

There was once the beautiful maiden's father who found out about his daughter's lover. It was said that within a rage he threw his daughter's would-be-killer against a wall and turned upon her. It was said that he became grief stricken that his daughter would never be able to marry because she was no longer pure. It was said that the beautiful maiden's father slapped her across the face, and called her a "whore". It was also said that the beautiful maiden's father took the dagger that would have been her end from the unconscious servant's hand and crudely cut off her long black hair.

There was once the beautiful maiden's sister who heard of her disgraceful deed. It was said that day in and day out the beautiful maiden's sister called her disgraceful names. It was said the sister was jealous of her sister because she had caught the attention of the bastard prince, the man she'd tried to seduce herself. It was said that the sister had known all along about the maiden's lover and often told her she did not deserve such loyalty from a man when he returned.

There was once the beautiful maiden's mother who wept upon hearing her daughter's story. It was said that though she was pleased her daughter's mercenary returned her feelings she was ashamed of her daughter's actions. It was said that during the night she retreated to her secret chambers in order to cast a spell, hoping that her daughter never got pregnant, producing a bastard child. Secretly, it was said, she wished for the mercenary's death. It was said that one night the mother, though weeping, craved the crime her daughter had committed into the beautiful, screaming, maiden's shoulder.

There was once the bastard prince who learned of the maiden's stolen innocence. It was said the prince became jealous, and sent soldiers for the mercenary's head. It was said the mercenary killed his would-be assassins, and returned to his maiden's side. It was said that one-day the bastard prince had had enough and went to the maiden's father to ask for her hand. It was said that still in grief the maiden's father agreed and simply handed the maiden over for marriage.

There was once the handsome mercenary who went to kill the bastard prince and have his maiden returned to him. It was said that he returned to the castle gates with the six members of the small band he had organized. A band that had become known as _The Band of Seven_, it was said. It was said, however, that the bastard prince had been ready for the mercenary and his companions. It was said the mercenary went to battle in order to save his fair maiden…

…_And died_.

He sighed, tilting his head as he thought of the way he had been once again telling his story over to himself. Over and over again he tortured himself this way, telling his story with 'there once was' and 'it was said', because the story was now over. His maiden was lost to him and he was alone, dead, while she still lived. He'd refused to look through the mirror others used in order to look upon her beauty, knowing that she had probably bore that bastard a child by now. It had been five years, after all. She had probably forgotten about him.

His dear Kagome was probably happy in the arms of her _prince_.

He knew there was another part of the story, before the time that her mother had craved "whore" into her shoulder, but after the time that he'd fallen in love. She'd promised to always love him, to never forget him should he die. She'd told him that though she might marry to another after a few years of him not returning, she would never forget him. No matter how many times she'd told him that, though, he still couldn't believe her. Even if it wasn't her fault she had been given to that bastard, Shigekazu, the lord, though everyone referred to him as the prince, of a huge estate.

He could never blame her, though. No, for they'd simply been outnumbered by Shigekazu's soldiers. They'd come saying that they killed too many over the years and had become too powerful. Once overpowered they'd been taken to Shigekazu's estate and had had their heads sliced off before Kagome's eyes. The last thing he saw was her trying to force her way out of Shigekazu's arms, tears streaming down her face as she called out to him.

"_Bankotsu,"_ he remembered her whispering into his ear as they made love. Coated in passion and want, yet the love weaved within it was enough to make his heart melt. She'd always been able to do that, no matter how much he tried to make her power over him wane. Still, even if he could hear her soft voice during the night; that did not mean that he wished to see her now. She was nothing now that Shigekazu had gotten his claws into her.

Nothing but a woman he'd once felt strong emotions for. Besides that was merely a memory to get rid of her terror filled face and screams as she tried to reach out to him… only to end up grasping air each time. The pain in her eyes when she realized that she would not be able to save him, that he was going to be lost to her. The sorrow he'd seen when she realized he'd no longer be able to sleep beside her, to laugh with her, to once again take her to the meadow she'd so loved. Even if it was only a memory, it was a strong one and it would probably haunt him for the rest of eternity.

He told himself over and over again that it didn't matter, that she was far beyond his reach now, but the place where his heart once resided still ached. As if the distant memory brought forth the emotions that should have left him upon the day of his death. What were spirits supposed to feel besides regret, anyway? He didn't know and he didn't care. He merely wanted to know why his heart, or perhaps his mind creating it, felt like it was in terrible pain. So much so that it would soon burst and there would be nothing left.

In his mind he could remember her falling into his arms, smiling happily that he had once again returned to her side. He could have easily walked away and never returned yet he'd continued to return to her as if nothing else mattered. Not even his brothers', his band of mercenaries, had ever truly known where he'd gone once he decided he was leaving for a short time. He'd never told them, for the one thing on his mind was simple and he'd wanted it fulfilled at that time: he'd wanted to feel his woman's soft flesh, to hear her speak his name, and to once again defy those around her by corrupting her more. His brothers' would have understood should they have known, but it was his little secret from them, one he'd planned to keep until the right moment.

At first that was the only reason he'd return for her, to simply corrupt her. The only reason he'd wished to woo the daughter of such a stuck up snob. Then he'd gotten to know her, and everything started to change. First he'd felt lonely without her smile, and then he'd found that he wished to be with her more and more. Not just to feel her naked flesh, but to merely know that she was there. He'd once thought of asking for her hand, but he had been a mercenary, a man who'd killed nearly a two thousand living beings with his Banryuu. Her father would have looked at him and laughed, telling him that he was not worthy of his daughter. Her father never would have considered her feelings or his own. The situation had been nothing but sore and he'd known that from the start.

Jakotsu had once asked him what he saw in his beautiful maiden. He'd told him that he saw a shimmering soul that wanted to merely love and be loved in return. That he saw mirror-like eyes that told him exactly what was happening, and a loving heart that wished to make him happy. He'd smiled and added that he saw a passionate body that wished to spread across anything for him when he needed her. Jakotsu had seemed confused but laughed, and he'd laughed with him, even if he knew Jakotsu had thought it was a joke. Jakotsu just never understood women, which was probably what drove him to men.

Of course, deep down he knew that somehow Jakotsu had understood him. Yes, he'd laughed at the thought, but that wasn't the point. Jakotsu, to some level, had understood him and had tried to help him. Every time he'd left to go to see his beautiful maiden his brother would make sure that nothing went wrong. Like Jakotsu took up his role as leader at the moment that he was needed, even if he was sometimes distracted by something with a handsome face. All right, a lot more than just sometimes, but there was nothing else he could expect from his brother.

Still, that was all in the past. He was dead now. There was nothing he could do to change everything. He _could_ have asked for her hand. He _could_ have simply stolen her away from her family. He _could_ have managed to overcome the pain he'd felt and managed to save her. He _could_ have done many things, like telling her how much he truly loved her, but he _hadn't_. He _couldn't_. He was dead.

The ache in his chest began to increase, his eyes shifting around the place that was supposed to be their paradise. He'd been so certain all his life that when he died there would be nothing but darkness, something he probably deserved. It just proved how many times he was proven wrong; it proved just how many things he could be proven wrong about. Still, the ache from being away from Kagome was beginning to burn, almost like it wanted him to forget about his promise and gaze at her. At least one last time to make sure that his suspicions were indeed true. That she could be swayed into the arms of another by simple trinkets, like he'd often told himself would happen if he were away for too long.

Bankotsu sighed, bringing a hand up to gently part his released hair, having felt that he didn't need the binding anymore. He was confused and depressed, even when he was supposed to be merry and simply happy all the time. The feeling of this place certainly made him want to be that way, but there was something else. Like he needed to do something more before he could finally find true peace. He felt as though he'd never be able to dance and drink with his brothers' until he finally did something, something to make the ache go away. He had a feeling that it involved the woman he loved while living. He was certain.

_Damn it,_ he cursed, _I'm going to regret this afterward. I just know it. That damned Shigekazu has probably already forced her to bare him a child, or stolen her heart. God knows she has too much fucking love to share._ He glared at the ground; _she should love one person and one person only! _A cold feeling swept through his body as he thought about how that person probably hadn't truly been him.

He needed to know. He _wanted_ to know.

Telling himself one last time that this was a bad idea, since he'd often told himself he'd never gaze upon her face again—at least not until she joined him among the ranks of the dead—he began to move. He'd often refused to use the mirror, but he knew that there was nothing else he could do at this moment. He wouldn't blame Kagome if she'd bore a child, no, but he could begin blaming her if she'd allowed her heart to be swayed away from him. That was what he truly wanted to do. Then he wouldn't force himself to torture his soul with their story for he'd know that she was no longer his woman. He'd know that he had lost her to that bastard.

It didn't take him long to find the mirror, the circular item merely held by a small stand. The silver coloring and designs meant nothing to him, only the fogged over surface, black treads sliding over the haze every once in a while. He gazed at it, before turning to make sure that no one was watching him. He'd be damned if anyone got to saw what he was about to watch, especially if his love was in a state of undress, or perhaps fucking that bastard. Either way it was for his eyes and his eyes alone.

Turning back to the mirror, Bankotsu lifted his hand and willed the mirror to show him what he wanted to see. He'd seen many others do it, and an older spirit had showed them how to use everything. Not that spirits needed much, but this was something that allowed them to stay sane. Something that allowed them to go on until he or she was chosen to be reincarnated, simply disappearing from the ranks of the dead and entering the womb of the woman. This kept them so that the soul was still peaceful and happy, watching those they'd known in life, even if they truly didn't need it.

Sighing, he lifted his hand and watched as the mirror steamed over with a light shade of blue, and gave a sizzling sound as it disappeared from his sight. In place of it was the back of a bathing woman, alone at the moment, until she turned to show her strange, yet stunning sapphire eyes. A strange coloration for a strange woman. Her mass of raven hair fell over her shoulder as she moved toward the end of the human made hot spring, before turning and lowering herself into the water once more. Bankotsu felt his breath catch in his throat, knowing for a fact that everyone on her was exactly the way he'd left it… except for a small cut on the side of her cheek.

Watching in silence, he felt as if he could reach out and touch her. To once again feel her skin rubbing against his as he sought to pleasure himself, as well as trying to make sure she enjoyed herself in their coupling. He could imagine her opening her mouth in a breathless gasp, completely thrown for a loop as he…

He shook his head, turning his concentration back onto the mirror when he heard the door open, sliding to the side to show the bastard himself. His maiden obviously wasn't pleased, stiffening a bit in the steaming water that surrounded her. It pleased him to see her reaction, obviously either surprised to see Shigekazu interrupting her bath, or tensing at the fact that he was in her presence. He hoped it was the latter, or he could already feel jealousy at the fact that Shigekazu might begin shredding his clothing and his beautiful maiden might begin pleasing him with her body. Like she'd done so many times with him…

Shigekazu did not look pleased, nor did he look like he was there to spend time with the woman he'd married. In fact, he looked quite enraged. "Woman, you will come with me and calm your son. It would seem that no matter how many times I try the boy is reluctant to acknowledge the fact that I am his father and he should listen to my commands," he hissed.

Kagome turned to glare at him; "If you would spend more time with him then perhaps he wouldn't try to gain attention from you."

The lord looked ready to stomp his feet and demand that _she_ now listen to his demands. However, though Bankotsu would have loved to witness such a thing, he knew that Shigekazu would never do it. The bastard would rather die before doing that, even in front of the woman he'd obviously bedded many times. "Do not put the blame on me, wench," Shigekazu snarled. "You're the one who keeps putting it into his head that I am _not_ his rightful father. That the blasted man who corrupted you before our marriage is, instead of I."

"I do no such thing," Kagome replied, stiffening more.

The man referred to as a prince snorted; glaring at the woman he'd taken as his wife. "Do not tell me such lies, wench!" he looked like he wanted to begin yelling his head off. "I know for a fact you're still trying to get over the fact that your lover was killed before you could run off with him. It is not my fault you stayed to long and allowed everyone to know of your shameful deed. You're lucky I still wished to have you as my wife after I learned of your crimes."

Kagome looked like she was on the verge of tears, though she glared angrily at her husband. "It is not wrong to love, Shigekazu," she said. "I did nothing wrong."

Shigekazu snapped at her words. "Then why can't you love me? Why are you so head-over-heels for a dead man? Tell me, Kagome, for I really wish to know! Tell me why you still think of him as I please you! Tell me why you never accept the fact that I am merely trying to make you feel like the hime you are whenever I give you gifts! Why?"

If Bankotsu didn't know better, he would have thought Shigekazu was beginning to look like a broken man. Anger swelled in his chest as he thought about what was happening, why Shigekazu was yelling at his beautiful maiden. Shigekazu had fallen in love, his lust changing right under his nose… but Kagome wouldn't love him in return. He felt pride at knowing Kagome refused to acknowledge the feelings of another man.

Kagome turned completely toward her husband, standing as straight as she could. "He is not dead to me!" she hissed, her voice beginning to rise. She placed a hand over her heart, "He still lives in me! He shall never die as long I acknowledge the fact that I still love him! I am his and no one, not even you and your _gifts_, can change that!"

Shigekazu looked ready to hit her, though he stepped away quickly. "You infuriating bitch. I do not know why I even put up with you and your silly wishes." He turned so that she could not see his hopeful and pained eyes, "Tonight you and that brat shall sleep far away from my chambers, do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. Should I find you or the brat you continue to think is the son of your previous lover anywhere near my chambers I shall have him executed. I do not wish to hear your ridiculous pleas, he shall die should I even hear you breathing within my range," he growled. He took one last look at Kagome, still glaring at him from the hot spring and snorted. With that he turned and finally left her, slamming the door as much as he could as it slid close behind him.

Bankotsu watched as Kagome clenched her hands in front of her, watching the door in order to make sure no one came through at that moment. His heart was leaping with joy, knowing that Kagome still loved him. He did not know how long that love would last, but he knew that for now Kagome would continue to love him. True, within time she might come to like Shigekazu, or accept her position, but her heart was his. He held it.

"You do not understand at all," he heard her whisper. "Yoshimitsu is Bankotsu's son." He watched as she began to cry, "I know, Shigekazu, because I knew I was pregnant before I married you. God damn it, _you_ knew." She was talking to nothing now, but she seemed to want to get the feelings she must have felt to go away. Speaking such things would probably calm her, but they left the man watching her stunned.

The door opened once more to show a small black-haired boy, his thumb in his mouth as he gazed at the crying woman. Instantly the boy began to tear up, moving into the room without shutting the door behind him. His thumb fell to his side as he began running, tears finally coming from his eyes. He reached Kagome, wrapped his small arms around her shoulders, and whimpered, "Please don't cry, mommy. He's just a big… big idiot."

"Yoshimitsu…?"

"Mommy," the boy whispered, trying to get as close as he could to the beautiful maiden. Obviously the words had upset him just as much as they had upset his mother. He brightened when the woman turned toward him, wiping the tears from his eyes, and finally pulled him completely into her arms in the water. Neither of them seemed to care that they were ruining the beautiful haori the boy was wearing, both seeking comfort from one another.

The image faded away completely, Bankotsu feeling lonely once more as he touched the surface of the mirror. She'd been pregnant… He'd never known. He wasn't able to fulfill his position as the boy's father, even though he would have been terrified when he first found out. It left him with an empty mind, his heart wishing that he could be there, yet swelling with happiness at the fact that she loved him. That she was still clinging to his memory in hopes of once again finding him in the next life.

He nodded to himself. That was enough for him at the moment. His family was safe, whether it was with his enemy or not. At least within Shigekazu's care they would be taken care of for the time being. Though he hated to admit it, it left him almost lost, wishing that he was protecting them. Shigekazu had taken his position, and that was the only thing he could be happy about, because Kagome probably would have lost the baby should she have been left in her own home. So many emotions were rushing through him that he didn't notice he accepted this for now, but he vowed that he would find Kagome in the next life, or when she died, and then he would start again.

He wouldn't make the same mistakes again. His dearest deserved that much from him, even if they'd loved each other, because she'd been left all alone with merely his son as her memory. Because he'd left her alone with Shigekazu for his foolishness, and the fact that he shouldn't have rushed into battle with him. He smiled bitterly; he _shouldn't_ have, but he had.

_I'll make it up to you, Kagome. Someday._

_--Fin_


	20. My One, My Only: Uchiha Obito

_**Title:** My One, My Only_

_**Summary:** Kakashi, since a very young age, loved her—even if she was Obito's girl and he promised not to come between them. He promised her that. So, in her greatest time of need, he turned away. After all, she only had one love, and he was Uchiha Obito._

**Pairing:** Obito/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

_She smiled sadly, turning so that she could look over at the boy waiting for her. Her eyes brightened a little, before she turned back to the boy in front of her. She made small circles with her toe in the dirt beneath her feet, almost like she was nervous about how her answer would affect him. "Kakashi…"_

_He stared at her, his mask covering his true emotions as he wondered what she was going to say. He was only ten but he knew what it was like to protect someone else. He wanted nothing more than to glare at the boy beginning to walk toward them, obviously as impatient as ever. The boy couldn't even be on time, or follow most of the rules, why was it that the girl he liked fell in love with someone like _him_. Someone who always wore goggles for no reason!_

"_Kakashi… I," she stopped, frowning and turning her eyes away from him. "I'm sorry. I hope that you understand one day that it means a lot to me that you feel that way, but… I just… I'm sorry, Kakashi, I can't return your feelings. I'm really sorry, I hope this doesn't affect our friendship."_

_He wanted to huff, stomp his feet, and beg her to reconsider her decision. Rin was always trying to catch his attention, but she wasn't the type of person he wanted. Yes, he was ten, but that didn't matter to him. A life of a shinobi could be brief and quick. However, even if his heart was breaking, he nodded, "I-I… I'm sorry that I bothered you."_

"_Kakashi," she said, grabbing his sleeve. "I hope this won't make you hate me. You're one of my greatest friends, Kakashi, someone who pushes me forward in hopes for a new day. I just—"_

"_I understand," he said. "I won't come between you and _him_." He pulled his sleeve away from her grasp, knowing that Rin was coming from her unique chakra signal, which was traveling toward them. "I promise."_

_As he walked away, he heard her whisper, "I'm sorry, Kakashi," but paid her no mind. After he was far enough, though, he stopped and turned back, quickly hiding himself so that he could watch the interaction between her and that idiot he had to call a teammate. Why he was stuck with that stupid loser was something he'd never understand, but how the hell the same loser managed to get his hands on a girl like her was even more impossible than the first! Especially since he was always pulling pranks, he loved to smile and say that he was the best when he was not, and he loved to go against all the rules. The rules were there for a reason! Sure, he was a nice guy, but what did that count for in the end?_

"_Is everything alright, Kagome?" _he_ said. The boy touched her arm, frowning at the sad image the girl at _his_ side made. However, _he_ smiled brightly when she finally turned to smile at _him. His_ goggles gleamed in the sunlight, almost like they were radiating the happiness _he_ did._

_Kagome giggled, "I'm fine, Obito." She gripped his hand, "Come on, Obito, let's go have ramen! Then we can go train. I still need to practice my Genjutsu. My father says I'm doing really good and he'll begin teaching me how to activate my Kekkei Genkai soon."_

"_That's wonderful, Kagome!" Obito grinned. "You'll be the best kunoichi in the village with how much you work."_

_Kagome laughed, "I doubt that."_

_Obito wrapped their arms together, "You can be anything you want to be as long as you believe in yourself, Kagome. As long as you believe in your dream and work for it you will someday achieve it. After all, you shouldn't regret anything you haven't accomplished, only things that you've done in life."_

_She snuggled to _his_ side. "You're right. I guess I'm just being silly again, Obito." She smiled softly, causing envy to fill the heart of their watcher, "You're like the light to my darkness."_

"_Hm?" Obito looked down at her in confusion, "What was that?"_

"_Oh, nothing!" she laughed._

_Obito smiled, "You know what, Kagome? We can go visit that will meadow that you like so much tomorrow. I don't have a mission and I doubt we'll be getting another one anything soon."_

"_Shouldn't you be training tomorrow, Obito? With your team?" Kagome asked._

_He turned his face away, obviously knowing that he did from Kakashi view. His arm unwrapped from Kagome's and around her shoulder in order to pull her closer. "Not that I can think of? Hm, was it tomorrow?"_

_She shook her head, "You know you can't always be late, right?"_

"_Sure I can!" he countered. "Rules were meant to be broken. Why else would they have made them?"_

_Kagome and Obito walked on, but he heard one last sentence from the girl he wanted and the boy he was beginning to admire. "Oh, I don't know, Obito. Maybe so they could be followed."_

"_Yeah, but that's so boring."_

Kakashi sighed, knowing that he was going to be late once again. He didn't care at that moment, though; as he stared at the front of door he was standing in front of. Surely Kagome would be willing to come out today. Perhaps training with him and his team would manage to lift her spirits, even if she hadn't been very lively since the incident. He knew why she hadn't wanted to come out a few days ago, though, and he hadn't gone to try and bother her that date either.

It was her time of mourning and she didn't need to be disturbed at that time. He knew what it was like to mourn the loss of his companions, his friends, and his teammates. Kagome, though, had lost the persons she'd loved with all her heart. The boy she'd once promised to never have feelings for another, even if he hadn't deserved such loyalty. He felt ashamed to know that he still sought for her, hoping one day that she'd want him to comfort him, but until then he dove his nose into Jiraiya's books.

Lifting his hand to knock, Kakashi paused for a brief second, wondering to himself why he'd spent his life chasing after her. It made no sense for him to continue to try and gain her affection when it was obvious she'd never return them. Yet, he believed that if he made it seem like she was never alone that she would one day fall into his arms. She'd forget all about his best friend and she'd come to him. Still, he couldn't help but wonder _why_…? Surely there was a reason why he was still going after her, and telling himself over and over again at night that she would see what he saw soon enough.

Soon enough, however, was never soon _enough_.

Once he'd thought he might fear Kagome's rejection, though he'd known all along that it had to come from her lips in order to make him leave. He'd known that she would have to come to him for her to truly belong to him, especially after he made that stupid promise to leave her and her feelings to herself. Silently he'd added until she came to him, but she didn't know that. It was quite obvious that she didn't, since she probably would have completely ignored his presence at all if she'd ever known. Especially after Rin disappeared and a few of their other childhood friends were killed, sought evil intentions, or simply vanished.

That brought up another reasonable question to his mind, though. Why did he still hold fast to that promise now that Obito was gone? It would be so easy just to snatch Kagome away from them all without anyone noticing. Yet he continued to hold onto the promise that he'd made when he was ten and told himself it would not be honorable to do such a thing, even if she might not have remembered the promise herself. Still he knew that it had to do with the fact that Obito had been his best friend and he didn't wish to harm Kagome, but it had been so long since that moment in life. Why, even after all this time, did he hold onto the honor of keeping a single promise that he was beginning to loathe?

His visible eye narrowed a bit. He knew the answer to that. He didn't wish to hurt the woman he loved, even to this day. The same woman who refused to do anything but chuunin assignments, though Kakashi knew for a fact that she could have easily finished any assignment with ease. It was strange that she'd suddenly given up her dream to become apart of the ANBU Black Ops, since he'd known that had been her goal throughout life before _that day_.

Before the day that he'd returned alone.

Shaking his head, he tried not to think about it. Obito had turned out to be his best friend, he'd given him his eye while he was dying, and he'd allowed him to finish their mission. He still wasn't sure about something, though, the memory was blocked off because he did not wish to remember it, though he still went to the memorial site and mourned them. He wasn't sure about what Obito had gargled while he sucked in his last breath, but he could have sworn he heard, "Kagome… tel…" Tell her what, though?

That was a question he could never answer. Only Obito knew the answer to that and he was silently mocking his position from heaven. Or he felt like the Uchiha was; especially knowing that he'd loved to pull pranks on him while alive. Like when he was always trying to get his mask off, begging to know if he had some type of defect on his face. Truly it was only to hide his true emotions, but Obito had never come to know that.

Finally unable to hold back anymore, pushing the thoughts aside, Kakashi allowed his hand to rap against the door of Kagome's little home. He waited for a moment or two, listening to the sound of the thumping of feet against the wooden flooring, before there was a crashing, following by a muffled, "Oooff". He waited, though, a small smile forming on his covered lips as he thought about the last time he'd ever tried to enter her home uninvited. Of course, it hadn't been a wonderful experience, since he'd been going on twelve and he found Obito making-out with a blushing Kagome. _Yes, not something to think about._

Not much later she came to the door, scowling at him with her hair dripping wet, her body covered by a pair of baggy pants and a tight shirt, yet easy to move in should she need to fight. He watched as suddenly one of her eyes changed to match his hidden one; something that he'd grown accustomed to after the death of Obito. It was her Kekkei Genkai. Nothing to worry about whenever it happened. Her eyes changed completely white whenever she was near a Hyuuga, whether they'd activated their Byakugan or not. Her eyes changed to red orbs whenever she was near an Uchiha, or someone with a Sharingan eye. She was able to use any Kekkei Genkai, as long as the user was close to her, and if it were a physical feature her body would change to accommodate it.

"Pervert," she snapped, "you just have to come whenever I'm bathing, don't you, Kakashi? What, you got some type of radar that tells you when I'm washing?"

He smiled brighter, "Of course not, Kagome."

Rolling her eyes, she stared at the man, before shaking her head. She had always felt strange after the moment she'd found out Obito had had Rin transfer his eye to Kakashi's ruined one to complete a mission. It was odd to only have one eye that could copy anything, but even odder that that eye had once belonged to her love. Still, she'd grown to not think about it. "Well, come in then. Let me get my hair rinsed out and I'll be with you once I'm ready," she said. As she turned, she decided she wanted to know what the pervert wanted. Turning her head, she asked, "Why are you here, anyway?"

"I felt it was time to drag you from your beautiful home in order to make sweet, sweet—" Kakashi rubbed the top of his head, feeling the bruise that would surely form sooner or later from her hit. "That hurt, Kagome!"

"Good," she smiled. "Pervert."

Shaking his head, he continued, "I wanted to know if you'd be willing to come help me with my team today, Kagome. It would be good to get out and get some fresh air once in a while. The training grounds might be a good place for you. Besides, it's been a while since I've had a worthy sparring partner."

"You just want me to do all the work," Kagome mumbled, stomping away from him.

Once alone, Kakashi gazed around the place he'd often entered. As a friend. Always as a friend. He sighed, a memory coming to him as he glanced down at a picture on a table. It was of Obito and Kagome, the goggle-headed Uchiha smiling as the girl flung herself into his side when he asked her something. He remembered that day, but there was another picture next to it, the one that merely Kagome, with pain filled eyes. He knew why she looked that way. He knew, because he had been the cause of it.

He'd been the one to tell her…

"_No!" he screamed. "Let me go, I have to tell her!"_

"_Kakashi; let us handle this. You need to be taken to the hospital to have your wounds taken care of. You also need to make sure that nothing is going to happen to you because of that eye." His sensei sighed, "I know that it is a great loss, but Obito gave his life…"_

"_Shut up!" Kakashi yelled, rather out of character for himself. He was usually so collected, cool, the exact opposite of his best friend. The friend that he now knew he'd nearly betrayed time and again by trying to take his girl. "I have to tell her!"_

"_Tell who?"_

"_Kagome," Kakashi whimpered, pulling against the hold that his sensei had placed upon him. He respected his sensei more than anything, but he needed to do as Obito had told him. He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew he needed to talk with Kagome. She was sure to understand; though he wasn't sure what he was he was supposed to tell her. He needed to see her, though!_

_His sensei finally let him go, "I see. Obito's little girlfriend, right?"_

_Kakashi bolted, not listening to the sound of the man's yells. He didn't care about his rank at the moment, he didn't care that he was simply a young boy who had fallen in love with his best friend's girl; he didn't care about anything except the fact that he needed to see her. His body hurt, his new eye felt like it was on fire, but he still kept running. Running toward the home that he knew she would be at. He could feel her familiar chakra coming from there._

_She needed to know! Obito… Obito was dead!_

Kakashi shook the memory away before it could get any further. He could still remember her shocked eyes as she screamed at him to prove that Obito was dead. He could still hear her cries as she dropped to the floor, weeping at the fact that her love was gone forever. He'd been struck between comforting the girl he'd come to love and the promise he'd made. Not only to Kagome when he was ten, but also to Obito a few weeks before they'd ended up going on the mission. To stop trying to steal his girl, because he was planning on making his entire life around her! Obito had planned to marry her. Even now he wasn't sure if he'd ever gotten around to telling her before his death.

_Tears rolled down her cheeks as she hit the floor in the hallway, clutching the side of her head with her hands as she shook her head back and forth in denial. He watched her, his decision pulling in two directions as he felt his own tears begin to form in the corners of his eyes. He watched as she finally began pounding her hands against the floor, tears rushing down her cheeks, while her left eye suddenly changed. His eyes widened watching her, listening as she clutched the eye and began crying harder._

"_I-I'm sorry, Kagome," Kakashi mumbled. He couldn't watch this. He'd promised Obito that he wouldn't try anything to take her, that he'd stop now that he'd come to realize that he did love her, but she didn't love him. He closed his visible eye, having brought down his headband so that she didn't need to see the eye of her love._

_He wished Obito hadn't died. He wanted so badly to blame this on him. He hadn't even tried to comfort Rin when she'd cried herself to unconsciousness after he'd finally won the battle. He wasn't sure how long she'd last after all this, though. It was all Obito's fault… yet it wasn't. He was so confused, and this wasn't helping him any. "Kagome…"_

_He turned around, having delivered his message, tears beginning to escape him. He listened as Kagome continued to cry, her sobs becoming louder and louder the longer he was there. He was slightly confused as to why her eye had changed to that of a Sharingan, but he didn't really notice it. It was something that was pushed away because he was simply stricken, still in shock from everything that had happened. Without a second thought he rushed out the door, listening as Kagome's crying became softer, but he cringed when he heard her scream as loud as she could._

"_OBITO!"_

He remembered that her deceased father had taken her to the hospital the same day his sensei, a Hokage at one time. Her father had explained that her Kekkei Genkai had activated from the way she had gone into shock from the news, her grief completely taking over. That hadn't stopped Kagome, though, she'd clung to her father's spirit until the day he died and then she'd found a way to cope. He knew, though, that she still didn't completely believe Obito was dead. She still wished that he hadn't died, but there were things that she would come to terms with as time moved on.

Or, at least, he hoped she would.

"Well, are we going or not, Kakashi?"

"Huh?" he turned to her, blinking. Shaking his head, he said, "Sorry, I lost myself on the road of li—"

"Shut up, Kakashi." Kagome shook her head, smiling at her old friend. Kakashi had always been there for her, but her heart ached for someone else. Her heart ached every time she saw Kakashi, for she'd known that Obito had been his best friend. They shared nearly the same feelings from his death. It'd helped her after her father had died, though she'd given up her hope of becoming one of the best in the ANBU Black Ops someday. Obito hadn't been there to cheer her on, so what had been the point?

"Yes, milady," Kakashi smiled. If only she'd realize that he was still waiting for her…

* * *

"YOU'RE LATE!" two genin yelled when they saw that their sensei had finally arrived. The third merely glared at him, crossed his arms, and acted like he didn't care that much. However, this was ignored when the blonde suddenly stomped up to the jounin, and growled, "AGAIN, Kakashi-sensei! Why can't you ever be here on time?!"

"Well, you see," Kakashi began, "I sort of had to make a quick stop to help this beautiful lady leave her home—"

The blonde snorted, "Yeah right, Kakashi-sensei! Like we're going to believe that. You have a different story everyday."

"Everyday, Kakashi?" a woman asked, bringing the attention of the genin to her. "Really, I would have thought that you'd tell them the truth after a while. That you're merely chasing after young girls who are half your age and within those pervert books Jiraiya writes. What are they called again…? Wait, I don't have to ask, you probably have one on you!"

He grinned, quickly putting his hand over the book within his jounin vest. "You can be so mean, beautiful lady."

"Beautiful lady…" Naruto mumbled. He turned to look at the raven-haired woman standing just behind Kakashi, her one blue eye and one red one staring at him in a smile. A true smile that reached her eyes. He freaked suddenly, his eyes widening beyond belief, "Oh my GOD! He's telling the truth!"

Sakura's mouth dropped to the ground. Naruto had gotten it before she had…? How was that possibly? Sasuke or her should have gotten that before the thick-headed Naruto.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, looking at something else. Her eye. Her left eye, to be exact. It was… _That's a Sharingan!_ He was searching for possible solutions to how she could have a Sharingan eye, only one. The same thing that his sensei had. "Maybe he's simply used the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and then a Henge?" he suggested.

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

"Dobe," Sasuke muttered. "Can't you see! She's got a Sharingan eye!"

Naruto turned back, gazing into the red eye that she was looking at him with. He backed away from her, suspicious. "Maybe you're right for once, Sasuke-teme."

"I get things right more than you do, dobe," Sasuke growled.

There was light laughter, before they turned to glare at the strange woman. She was wiping tears from her eyes, though her smile was sad and her eyes looked forlorn. "I'm sorry, you just reminded me of… of the past," she said. _Obito…_ This blonde haired boy reminded her of Obito, while the Uchiha—she recognized him instantly—reminded her of Kakashi.

"So," Naruto asked. "Why do you have a Sharingan eye? Hm?"

Sakura nodded, "That's a good question. I thought only the Uchiha Clan could have the Sharingan, and of course, Kakashi-sensei."

"It's my Kekkei Genkai," Kagome muttered, her eyes distant. "Whenever I am near a person who has a Kekkei Genkai, whether it is activated or not, I am able to use it." She turned her head to look at Kakashi, "Because I am close to Kakashi currently I only have one Sharingan eye, the same as he does. Should I get closer to Uchiha Sasuke both would become the level of Sharingan that he currently holds. It works with every Kekkei Genkai, no matter what it is."

"So… you can use any Kekkei Genkai… from any Clan?" Naruto asked, awe filling his voice.

She nodded, "As long as I am within a certain distance of a user. Such as… the Byakugan, the Kekkei Genkai of the Hyuuga Clan. Should I get near any of the Hyuuga Clan members I am able to use the Byakugan, and should they have a strong Kekkei Genkai then perhaps with more power behind it."

"Cool!" Naruto yelled. He ran up to her. "Um, since you know Sasuke-teme, I thought you should know who I am as well! After all, I'm better than he is! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the future Hokage! Believe it!"

"Dobe," Sasuke muttered.

Things around her sped up while she wasn't paying attention, her going with the Naruto boy in order to help him with a jutsu he'd asked her to assist him with. She smiled at him, her memory bringing a boy wearing goggles, smiling brightly at her as he told her his plan. That one day he would have fulfilled his dream and then he had had a surprise for her. She wished now that she could have known what it was, but he wouldn't tell her, no matter how much she'd tried to get him to.

She missed him.

Turning her head to the sky, she gazed at the clouds, his image forming in the clouds. She didn't notice that Kakashi was watching her, nor did she notice that Naruto was tugging at her sleeve as she tried to understand what Obito had been trying to tell her. All his body language that she hadn't understood, never trying to because she'd simply been happy that he was there. That didn't matter now, though, only that she still wanted him with her… she still loved him…

_I miss you, Obito. I love you. You're the only one I shall ever love, I promise. You're one, and my only. I miss you so much,_ she whispered silently to the image. A single tear escaped her eye, the one that was currently in the form of the Sharingan, Kakashi being closer to her then before. She didn't notice, though, only the boy that tugged her from her past. The boy that reminded her of Obito.

It would be nice to get to know him. Treat him like a son, perhaps.

Smiling, she whispered, _you would have liked that, wouldn't you, Obito?_

For a moment she could have sworn she heard the wind whisper, "_Yes…_" Shaking her head, Kagome allowed Naruto to drag her away in order to help him. Obviously he'd been trying to gain her attention for quite some time, but she was ready now. Obito had been her life, he was her only love. But there were things in life that would fill the void.

Such as the boy before her—the boy that reminded her of Obito.

_--Fin_


	21. Cheaters Never Win: Mitani Yuki

**Kiba's Note:** For the next four - YES, four!?!?! - one-shots, I would like to apologize if anything happens to get confusing. I went on a writing spree just out of the blue. Nines straight hours of typing and talking to my sister, who insisted that I play chess with her. Sadly to say, my sister is not very good at chess. She lost fifteen times in a row, but I let her win after that simply because she was getting mad at my smug behavior. So, I do apologize for that - the confusing parts, I mean. I tried to not get my thoughts jumbled up, but it happened anyway. So, onto the one-shots!

* * *

_**Title: **Cheaters Never Win_

_**Summary:** Mitani Yuki has gone back to his cheating ways, and when he's faced off against Kagome he finds that he's struck by her beauty. However, she said it herself, 'cheaters never win'._

**Pairing: **Yuki/Kagome

**Manga:** Hikaru no Go/IY

* * *

Mitani Yuki tossed the black stone into the air, smirking as he faced off against his opponent. His moves were fast and fluid, making it hard to see the moves that he was secretly making off to the side in order to capture his opponent's stones. He was playing for money, after all, and since he'd quit that stupid Go Club at school—once they'd had enough players to continue without him—he'd decided that it was time to earn some money. So, he'd found a different Go Salon from the one he'd been gaining money at before, and now here he sat, eyeing the elder man who'd bet him 50,000 yen. He wasn't one to lose that much money.

His grin faltered for only a moment, thinking about the fact that he couldn't pay the old man back if he lost. Better reason to cheat, in his opinion. If he won then he got all the money, if he lost others might find out that he was cheating, kick him out, or he'd have to cheat more in order to earn the money within a small amount of time to repay the guy. That would tell others that he had been playing without any ways of paying in the first place.

That would not go well in the end.

Yuki's grin grew before the old man could notice, making sure that he didn't think he was losing the edge he currently had. After all, that would only give the old man the thought that he might be able to win, or perhaps notice that his eyes flickered just a bit when he moved a piece, quick a lightning.

No one else was watching them, except a young girl around his age, staring at the board with a lusty look, almost like she couldn't wait to play herself. He didn't care; he'd play her if she wished to play for more, though she didn't look like the type to. However, she did look like the type to have money, with that blood red dress, which looked to be of an expensive Chinese design, with silver sakura blossoms that were imprinted on the end. She was very pretty, and though looks weren't everything he might have even said she was beautiful.

The elderly man across from him seemed to notice the looks he was giving the girl, and smiled knowingly. His voice was low enough so the girl wouldn't hear, as he said, "You seem to be quite interested in that young lady. Perhaps that will cause your focus to concentrate more on her and less on our game, thus snatching victory away from your grasp."

Yuki scowled, saying, "What do you know?" He played his move, quickly and without much effort, also moving a single stone while the man diverted his attention to his bowl, which contained his pieces. Once again he lifted a stone out of his own and began tossing it into the air, his eyes flickering only a few times to the girl, making sure that he knew where the old man played.

"A lot more than you would think, young man," the elderly man said.

Rolling his eyes, Yuki played after the old man did, once more sneaking a glance at the girl. The guy obviously didn't know what he was talking about, since there was no way he would like some girl over money. Hell, she looked like the type to go to Kaio Middle School, since she didn't look like a Haze student, or any of the other schools. She just looked like a person that could afford to go there, probably did, too. She was probably from preppy girl who thought she was all that and would win every game she played. If she played him, well, he'd just have to teach her that that wasn't true.

The old man sighed, looking down at the board again. He reached up, smiling sadly, "Well, I know when I'm beat. You've got some talent, young man; I'll give you that. I guess I shouldn't have thought my talents would be better than yours because of age." He smiled, "I now almost regret that I decided to bet so much, but you should never bet or give away what you're not willing to lose."

Yuki smirked, leaning backwards in his chair at an angle, crossed his legs and arms, and gave the girl standing close by a look as she finally moved toward the board. Their eyes connected, and she fluttered her eyelids as she came to stand next to him. "Do you want to play?" Yuki asked, staring up at her as the old man counted out the money he'd bet. He watched the girl nod, and asked, "What's your name?"

"Higurashi Kagome," she replied. "You?"

"Mitani Yuki," he said, bowing his head as she did. The old man continued to fish out the money, but Yuki didn't seem to notice any of this, his eyes staring straight into her blue ones. He wasn't one to usually pay attention to something other than something he needed or wanted, but he decided to be a polite as he could.

She seemed very innocent to him.

"Well," the elderly man said, "I'll leave you two alone."

Kagome smiled, sitting down in the seat across from him. She began helping him clear the board, humming softly as she did. She turned her eyes to the boy she was going to play against, she was sure it would be for money, and tapped her foot subconsciously. "So, Mitani-san, what school do you go to?" she asked.

"Yuki," he said. "I go to Haze."

"Oh, I go to Kaio," she smiled, "_Yuki_-san." She made sure to correct herself, knowing that it would probably bother him a little the way she drew it out. However, she simply continued to smile, glancing around the board as if she was already beginning the game with herself.

He'd just known. There was just something about her that screamed Kaio Middle School! He almost wanted to smirk, though, since he knew that meant she would be able to play him for money instead of a simple game. Who knew, maybe she would be a better opponent than the old guy. True, he'd cheated, but he could have beaten him without his extra skills. Still, he wondered just how much he could weasel out of her by the end of the game. Perhaps continuing to add to the bet might be a good thing, but then she might begin to think he was up to something. However, it didn't mean that he still wasn't going to try something.

"So, Yuki-san," Kagome asked, "do you want to bet money on this game as well?"

"What?" Yuki blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected her to outright ask him for such a thing. Usually people got up and simply left once they learned he wasn't playing for the love of the game. He needed the money; he wasn't there just to play.

"I noticed that you bet money against your other opponent, the elder," she said. "I just thought that you always played like that."

He scowled, "Are you trying to say that I'm poor and need to play in order to make money?"

She shook her head, "No, no, that's not what I meant at all!" She gasped at how she must have sounded, before trying again. "Most play the same way most of the time. I just thought that you liked betting money in order to make the game more interesting for the winner. I didn't mean to offend you, Yuki-san."

"Whatever," Yuki said. He dug his hand into the black bowl, "Choose for color. Odd or even?" She chose even, and being right she got to be black; not that he cared, but he'd wanted to be black. "So, how much are you willing to bet?"

"A thousand yen," she said flatly.

"A thousand, that's it?" Yuki grinned. "That's interesting. Usually people have so much confidence that they start betting really high amounts that can get ridiculous."

She smiled, "You shouldn't lend or bet anything you're not willing to lose." She was looking him straight in the eye, knowing that he wasn't paying attention, and flicked her eyes only for a moment to play her move. She watched his head snap down to the board to see her piece there. She smiled, saying, "Just like you shouldn't waste time if you do not want to be left behind."

He snorted, "You sound like someone I used to know."

"Oh," she said. She didn't know whether this person was alive or not, so she didn't go to into it. "I'm sorry if that made you uncomfortable. I spend a lot of time with my grandfather at our family shrine."

"Shrine?" he asked, placing his own piece down.

"Yes. The Higurashi Shrine, or the Sunset Shrine as its better known," Kagome, replied. She caught his eye once more, knowing that he had been watching her from the top of his eyes. Almost like he couldn't keep his eyes off her, which made her want to blush. She quickly played another move, only briefly glancing at the board in order to make her move. She had perfected this way of playing, which was very helpful since she could easily get someone into a conversation and play a move. However, she wasn't that mean and she kept her fingers on the piece that she played in order to show them where her last piece has been played.

"Never heard of it," he said. He glanced down at where her perfectly manicured nails were lightly tapping at the last piece she'd played. Not like it mattered, they were so far in the beginning that he would have known exactly where she played anyway. She was probably just one of those people, though.

He watched as she shook her head, before saying, "I didn't think you would have. Its quite a walk from here." He wondered for a moment why this Kaio girl could be so nice. Sure, they were all pretty and whatnot, but she seemed different. She didn't seem stuck up like he thought they all would be, and she was smiling almost like she couldn't wait to see tomorrow. Like she knew the sun was going to rise and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

They continued to play, him smirking when he noticed that she didn't even see his quick movements in order to change her pieces with his. What he didn't see, though, was her eyes flicker toward that spot whenever he did, slightly narrowing each time. Almost like she was watching him, but he was merely staring into her bright eyes, wondering for a moment what had gotten into him. She was just another stupid girl, and money was his one true love, so why couldn't he stop looking at her?

Kagome narrowed her eyes, watching as Yuki's suddenly widened upon her change in mood. One thing continued to rush through her mind as she suddenly began making faster, smoother, and pro-like moves. She glowered at him, her blue eyes looking like they'd changed black from her anger. _How dare he cheat! I'll show him,_ she thought, quickly playing another move without leaving her fingers as an indicator to where she'd last played.

He was amazed by this sudden change. She barely glanced at the board yet she played excellent moves, moves that probably could rival that of Toya Meijin. Her eyes seemed to glow with a light that he'd seen from many Go players trying to achieve the 'Divine Move', while her hand was quick as lightning. It was obvious she was no longer playing around with him, and he quickly pulled a piece off the board when he played his next move. He frowned, though; he heard her stone click and noticed she'd captured eight of his stones.

They continued this way until finally Kagome stood up, knocking her chair over and causing a couple of people to jump. Her eyes were still glowing with the eerie light while she began digging through her hidden pocket for her wallet. Without much effort she opened up the packed wallet and pulled out a thousand yen, slamming it against the table. She scowled at him, stomped away, and the sound of the bell on the door was heard as she left.

Yuki sat in confusion, wondering what had just happened. He'd been staring at her hair, thinking that she would mind if he suddenly reached over and touched it to see if it was as soft as it looked. When he heard the tinkling of the bell, though, he quickly stuffed the money he'd won into his pocket, and rushed out the door after her. He ignored the fact that the owner was yelling at him to clear the board, quickly spotting Kagome's dress.

He gripped the front of his shirt when he realized there was an ache at the thought of her getting away. He didn't know why, but he just couldn't get her image out of his head. He moved toward her, bumping into people as they shouted at him to be more careful. Every once in a while he'd quickly mutter an apology, but most of the time he merely push the person so that he could continue on his way. Kagome, he noticed, was merely zigzagging around people like they were nothing but small obstacles that she didn't wish to touch.

Jogging after her, Yuki wondered exactly what he was doing. It was obvious she'd either gotten angry with him, or she'd seen that he was cheating. He hoped she hadn't. Somehow he just hoped that she hadn't because of _something_. It was confusing and irritating and he wanted nothing more than to shout in her face, hit her, or do something in order to make her stop making him feel what he was feeling.

People scowled and quickly moved out of his way as he past by, almost like they hated that he was running on the sidewalk. He didn't pay any attention to them, just as he hadn't paid any attention to the owner where they'd played Go. It wasn't his concern about what they thought at that moment, he wanted what he wanted and he was going to get it. Just like he managed to con people out of so much money. Except her; it was almost like she'd known what he was doing.

He continued after her, wondering how she was moving so fast in her clothing. He knew she was probably still angry, but he watched as after a short while she finally began to slow, her shoulders slumping in defeat. He still had quite some distance before he would actually catch her, but something within him demanded that he get the answers out of her. Why she'd reacted that way when she'd quit.

Scowling to himself, he sped up, watching as she looked up a long set of stairs, obviously intending to climb them once she set her foot on the first one. He was running by the time he finally caught up to her, quickly bounding up the stairs she was easily heading up. "Hey, wait a minute," he shouted, hoping that she'd stop and wait for him. He didn't know why, he just wanted to talk to her for some stupid reason.

Kagome stiffened, turning back to the boy who'd been cheating during their game. She narrowed her eyes at him, silently wondering why he'd followed her this far. Did he expect her to not have noticed him cheating? Did he suddenly want to apologize for his disrespect for the game? Or did he simply wish to rub it in her face, saying that she'd never be able to beat him and to never come near him again? Perhaps he wished to hit her for being so rude…? If that were the case, though, he'd soon find that she knew a thing or two about fighting. She wasn't the common push over.

Yuki sighed in relief, finally coming to a stop in front of her on the stairs, just a step below. Leaning over, placing his hands onto his knees in order to keep himself up, he breathed deeply to catch his breath. The girl could move, obviously used to long distance traveling, and speed walking from the look of things. "I… I wanted to know why you suddenly just…" he wasn't sure how to say what he wanted to ask her.

"Why I suddenly walked out on you?" Kagome finished, continuing to glare at him.

Nodding, he straightened himself to look into her eyes. "Yeah, I mean, you just suddenly snapped and I wanted to know if you were alright." He stopped, "I know you look alright, but… um…"

Kagome rolled her eyes, "You expect me to answer _you_?" She made sure to draw out the last word, showing him just how deep her displeasure ran. She didn't take kindly to cheating. It was disrespectful and rude. It tarnished every game that the person used such methods in, obviously not confident in their own abilities to win. "Especially after what you did?"

"What?" he was confused. He wasn't sure why, he was positive he should have known what she was talking about, but he was confused. Not entirely, but enough to actually allow it to reach his eyes, showing her that he didn't understand. Perhaps on some level, but not at the moment.

"Don't act so innocent," Kagome snapped. "I know for a fact you were cheating. If I wasn't so nice I would have shouted it out in the shop, or perhaps demanded that you paid _me_ instead of me paying _you_. Its not fair that you decided to cheat simply because you needed or wanted the money. Its… its sickening."

He stayed silent, blinking as she continued to rant about how he shouldn't have done such a thing. He stood straighter, becoming angrier with every word that left her mouth. He wanted to hit her, but he knew that he couldn't hit a girl. That would be even worse than the fact that he'd cheated during their game of Go. "What do you know, anyway?" he hissed.

"I know that cheaters never win!" Kagome shouted. "Someday you might understand that, Yuki-_san_, but for now I hope you get satisfaction out of your actions. I'm sure that it won't last very long."

He watched as she turned and marched up the stairs muttering about stupid boys and their stupid ways. He huffed, glaring at her back, before turning and walking away. There was no way he was going to stay there! She could do whatever she wanted, but he was going to make sure he stayed as far away from her as he could. "Cheaters never win," he mocked, his voice strained and angry.

A cold feeling spread through his body when he turned to look back toward the shrine she'd headed toward. He shook it away, however, huffing at her stupid words and her stupid actions. He'd done nothing wrong. Still, he had to wonder if she'd allow him to play her again if he didn't cheat again. If she'd allow him to get to know her if…

He stopped his line of thought, narrowing his eyes when he thought he saw her staring down at him for a moment. Once more he grew angry with her, deciding at that moment he'd do everything in his power to completely ignore her. Though he felt like he was tearing himself up inside. He didn't know why he'd suddenly felt like he wanted to know her, but he didn't want to know.

She could take her stupid words and stuff it. Yuki nodded to himself, even though he wasn't sure if what he was doing was for the best. She could believe whatever she wanted to, but he wasn't going to change for her or for anyone else!

So, Yuki turned away in hopes that he'd never have to think of her again. Deep down, though, he did take her words to heart. Even if she'd never know it.

_--Fin_


	22. Secretly Tied: Gaara

**Kiba Note:** Um... most of the jutsus in this one-shot are made up. Some of them are actual ones that you can find from the manga or the anime, but some of them are simply things that I came up with from looking at other jutsus. I know that some of them might step over the line, but bear with me. I got a little confused after a while!

* * *

_**Title:** Secretly Tied_

_**Summary:** During the chuunin exams there was one more match before that of Gaara and Sasuke. A match that secretly changed the heart of a disturbed teen, one with a guarded heart that still bled. This match was between his sister and a girl who's apparently set her sights on him._

**Pairing:** Gaara/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

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"And the winner is, Temari!" Genma shouted, placing his hand out to motion to the stunned blonde. He smirked when Shikamaru said something about the match being a drag and how he'd had two hundred more moves planned out in his head. The boy was smart; he'd give him that. Still, he knew that the crowd was waiting for the match between Uchiha Sasuke and Gaara, but there was still one match left before then. If the Uchiha kid ever showed up, that was.

Temari shook her head as she watched Naruto ask Shikamaru why he'd given up, before turning her head to look at her siblings and the girl that she would have to fight. If the sound-nin hadn't disappeared then she wouldn't have had to fight two matches in a row. However, she knew that she would have to. Especially since her opponent had given up. She smirked, hoping that the girl would give her a better fight then Shikamaru, though he could have beaten her.

Though people were anxious for the match between Uchiha Sasuke and the Gaara kid, they watched with interest as Genma called forth the next fighter, another girl. A Higurashi. They were sure this match would be just as interesting, if not more, then the match that had been postponed for the moment. It would be interesting to see how the Higurashi handled the situation, since most were peace-loving people before they were almost completely destroyed. Only three members remained, one girl and two boys.

And the girl would be fighting.

People cheered as Genma called, "Higurashi Kagome, would you please come down here!" Temari glared at them, wondering why they were suddenly so thrilled to have a match coming, when they'd wanted the match between Sasuke and her brother so badly. Her eyes turned to watch as the smiling girl jumped from the box they'd been given, her body twisting through the air as she felt the wind pick up. She scowled as the girl hit the ground, quickly turning to wave at the crowd, before turning to start walking toward them. She wasn't sure, but Temari almost felt like there was something wrong.

Sakura, sitting in the stands, gazed down at the girl she'd watched battle with a selected chuunin because Kabuto had decided not to fight. She remembered the fact that the Higurashi Clan members were able to manipulate shadows without the use of a jutsu, but she knew there was more that Kagome could do. She'd seen it with her own eyes, the summoning jutsu that usually only a higher-level shinobi should be able to use.

"Who do you think will win, Sakura?" Ino asked, looking over at the girl sitting next to her. She knew that Sakura was upset at the fact that Sasuke still hadn't shown his face, but she couldn't wait to see the two kunoichi below fight it out. Either to the death or until one of them admitted defeat. She'd still been knocked out while Kagome was fighting, but she knew that Sakura had awakened for a short time, Shikamaru had told her.

Sakura shook her head, "I don't know. Probably Kagome."

"Huh?" Ino blinked. Sakura had been complaining not to long ago about how Kagome had been trying to steal Sasuke's attention, but now she expected her to win. She was sure she would have said something about how Kagome could never be able to defeat any of them. "Why do you think that? I mean, come on, Temari beat TenTen! She wasn't even able to touch her!"

"Well…" Sakura frowned. "Temari just fought. She hasn't even had a chance to recover from her fight with Shikamaru. I mean, I know that she didn't use much chakra, but she did use a lot of energy just to try and keep Shikamaru from catching her in his Shadow Imitation Technique. Kagome hasn't fought at all; she's not drained at all. It's a serious disadvantage."

"Yeah, I guess that's true," Ino nodded. "Still, it should be interesting. Especially from the way everyone started cheering at Kagome's name."

Sakura nodded. It wasn't hard to believe. The Higurashi Clan had been a very powerful Clan before they were nearly destroyed nearly ten years ago, leaving behind only a girl and two boys. Siblings, from what she knew. Teammates as well. Just like the Sunagakure team, with Temari, Kankurou, and Gaara. No one really knew what village the Higurashi Clan had belonged to, but Kagome and her siblings claimed to be from 'far away'. They even hid their headbands under their clothing. It was strange, but not hard to believe that people would wish to see such a match.

Kagome stretched her hands above her head, linking her fingers together as she walked toward the center. This was sure to be interesting. She would show Temari exactly why she was known as one of the most feared in her entire Clan. Why people bowed down once they learned _what_ she could do. She knew that it wasn't exactly fair, but maybe Temari would be able to face the demon within her body when she unleashed it. A smirk formed on her face, and she was sure her siblings were cringing at the way her chakra flared to life.

Genma nodded to her once she reached them, listening as the crowd began cheering once more. Some were cursing at not being able to see well, while others were shouting for the match to begin. He looked over at the Higurashi, knowing that she was the reason people were beginning to forget about Sasuke for the moment. At least it put something off his mind for now. Besides, he had a feeling Lord Hokage would end up giving the boy some more time once this match was over. "Now, you both know the rules, please step to the center." He watched as the two girls did as asked, Temari gripping her fan, while Kagome's hands came to clasp together. "Begin!" he said, jumping back.

Kagome moved instantly, her hands rising like she was offering them for someone to take. The shadow that Temari cast rippled upon her command, it suddenly shooting up from the ground in the form of a spike, trying to strike out at the girl who'd once stood above it. She watched as Temari moved, though, and moved to follow her. Her feet moved quickly, fast enough that she wasn't using her full speed but kept up with Temari easily.

Temari swung her fan, watching as the shadows around Kagome's feet rose to form a shield from the wind she used. She looked back, noticing that the sun had gone down further than she'd thought, allowing Kagome's ability to have more range. Almost like Shikamaru's, but deadlier. And she'd walked right into the shadow of the wall!

Kagome stopped, flipping backwards as her shield formed. She reached her hand out, allowing the shadow of the wall to morph from the ground and into her hand as a sword. She called out to her opponent, mocking the wind user as she searched for a way to move past her and out of the walls shadow. "I didn't think you'd allow me to win so quickly, Temari. Maybe you're not as worthy of an opponent as I thought you were!"

Her fan flipped completely open, ready to use it in order to fly over the other girl. "I'm not going to be beaten so easily, _Higurashi_," Temari countered, watching her feet closely. She'd watched Kagome fight before, and knew that the shadows would ripple before they did what she commanded. She would be able to see them move before it did anything and that would allow her to move before it hit her.

Almost like Kagome knew she was searching the ground, she brought her hand up and commanded her shield to turn into thousands of needles, all of which would shoot straight at her opponent. Bringing her elbow back, clenching the sword she'd created in her right hand, she thrust her left forward, listening as the shield began to break apart and fly toward Temari. The sound of the wind caught her attention and she knew that none of the attacks had touched her, especially when the older girl flew over her head on her fan.

Landing, Temari swung her fan once more, watching as the wind shot out like blades, each one striking the new shield that leapt to protect its user. There had to be a way to stop her from using that! There had to be a way around it, but she wasn't sure if she'd be able to. She knew that it should have been impossible for Kagome to move the shadows the way she did, but then again… the girl wasn't normal. There was something about her that screamed evil. Something that felt familiar to her.

Temari moved when the shadows struck out at her like Shikamaru's attack, trying to catch her own within it. She moved, making sure not to make the same mistake and go near the hole Naruto had created. It would make her look stupid to not only end up in that position once, but twice. She wouldn't be foolish enough to get herself into that position again, especially after watching Kagome use Genjutsu on the opponent who'd been chosen to fight her a month ago. Even now the sight of the boy screaming in terror could make her wince.

Kagome stepped backwards, her body beginning to sink into the darkness of the walls shadow. Silently she commanded that her shield move as she did in order to make it seem like she was still above the ground. However, she sank until she became one with the shadows beneath her, and began moving her shadow form forward as her shield moved with her. Temari was sure to not understand what was happening, but that didn't matter to her. She'd defeat her and show _him_ that she was capable of not only loving him but also protecting herself.

The new form she'd chosen moved quickly, shooting off to the side while her shield continued to move forward. She watched as Temari looked around it, trying to determine where she would strike from. The form she'd taken quickly moved behind the other girl, only for her to rise with the shadows melting off her. People were cheering once more, but she paid them little mind as her sword came around Temari's neck, pressing the sharp blade she'd created to the skin underneath her chin. It would be pointless to try and slice through the headband she had tied around her neck. A feral grin formed on her lips as she pressed the blade closer, knowing Temari's life was within her hands.

Temari stiffened, watching as the shadow shield fell before her eyes to show her that there was no one. The blade against her throat told her that the girl was standing right behind her and she knew that with a flick of her wrist her and the mission would fall to pieces. Kagome hadn't had any regrets killing her opponent during the last match she was in. She hadn't felt any remorse in killing the boy from the inside out, completely destroying his mind before the match was called to a close. The girl was a monster.

She tried to calm her body, knowing that it was either die or fight. Her hand clenched around her fan, listening to the gentle breathing the girl was giving off, her chakra flaring with a deadly intent. Temari was sure that she would die if she didn't do anything to stop it from happening. Her blood would spill onto the ground and their mission would go along with it. Yes, Gaara might be able to still pull it off, but who would be there to stop him from going to far? _Kankurou_? She doubted it. Their father, the Kazekage? He would rather let Gaara continue to kill everyone!

She pressed backwards, causing her opponent to take a step back, and allowed her elbow to shoot backwards. A smirk pulled itself onto her lips when she heard the crunching of her ribs, though she was sure the match wasn't over just yet. Especially when pain shoot through her arm and she looked down to find that the sword once pressed against her neck was no longer in Kagome's hand. She'd dropped it, allowed it to become what it originally was, and then made it form again to slice through her left arm. A soft cry fell from her lips as Kagome pressed her hand to her ribs, stepping away from her.

"I didn't expect you to actually do something so careless, Temari," Kagome hissed. Her voice had taken on a darker tone, one that caused the wind user to shoot her eyes toward her. Her features hardened, while her hand dropped to her side. "I'm afraid that it is time this ended, girl. It is time that I showed him exactly how far I will go to make sure no more pain comes to him."

"What are you talking about?" Temari spat, stepping away from the Higurashi. She heard the growl that came from her chest, and knew that she was about to find out why the girl was so strange. Why she radiated with a strange evil that seemed to mix with her; yet was separate. Like…

Kagome turned her head so that she was looking into the box where the fighters were waiting. "You do not need to bleed in order to feel pain," she said. She knew that he'd understand, that he'd know what she was talking about. "You're one of the reasons he feels like he is bleeding, yet he does not see any blood, Temari. You for shunning him simply because he carries something you do not understand. You're afraid of him, thus you cannot show him love. I understand, though. I _can_. I will if he shall except me."

Kankurou's eyes widened as he heard the words leaving her mouth. He took a single glance at Gaara, who was leaning against the railing, his hands clenching around the metal. _How the hell can she even think about something like that! _He blinked; _does she have a death wish or something? Gaara can't love anyone… not after…_

He was confused, not something that he liked to be often. His eyes watched her, the rings looker bigger as his eyes narrowed at her words. She spoke as if she understood how he felt, as if she went through it. No one understood him. No one ever would. They would all die beneath his hands, their death allowing him to feel alive. No one would ever be able to even come close to understand what he felt. Not even a girl who looked like she used smiles and happy words to cover what she truly was.

Gaara tilted his head to the side, knowing though that what she'd said was true. He'd often wondered why his chest hurt, yet he wasn't bleeding. He'd been told it was because of his emotions, that everyone could feel pain if they missed something in their life. He still did not understand. She seemed to. Perhaps it would be best to get the answer out of her before he killed her?

Temari's eyes dilated when she heard the darker tone in Kagome's voice. The hidden meaning deep within it, while her voice told more than she was willing to understand. She didn't want to believe it. It was bad enough that she had to live with her brother knowing that he could easily manipulate the sand in order to kill them when he wanted to feel alive. Now she had another monster before her who could easily use the shadows to do the same thing! "You're a…" she gulped, "demon vessel."

"Ding, ding, ding," Kagome laughed. "Temari, I believe you just won a thousand points, though they aren't good for anything once you're dead!" She laughed louder, showing off the fangs that were within her mouth, which she'd done so much to hide from the others. Her laughter died after a moment, her face turning thoughtful, "I wonder, Temari… have you ever seen Gaara unleash the spirit of his demon? I know that most vessel are able to. I wonder how you would handle fighting against mine? Would you survive, or die?"

Her hands began moving, creating the signs she knew so well. Once she moved into the last one she felt the wind die, everything falling silent as what looked to be a mirror sprung from the ground behind her. She looked at it for a moment, "I created this jutsu, Temari. Do you like it?"

"What is it?" Temari asked. She stiffened a little more, taking another step away from the girl before her.

"You will find out soon enough," Kagome said. "However, I'm going to tell you about my next move," she continued. The shadows morphed behind her, beginning to create a dog around the size of four men standing tall. "I'm going to put myself into a state so close to death that the Houkou's chakra shall be more dominate than mine. It shall enter this model behind me and then the demon shall come to life. The jutsu only lasts a few minutes, but they shall be precious minutes that determine your fate." Once more she began making hand signs, watching as Temari went to strike out at her with her Whirlwind. Her shield rose to protect her of its own accord, while she stepped backwards until she was underneath the dog's form. Upon the last sign she made she mumbled the name of the jutsu and allowed her chakra to flare to life, beginning to go to work.

Her knees gave way underneath her, her body toppling forward. She felt her life giving way, though she knew that it would still be clinging tightly to life from death and when the jutsu finally ended her chakra would flare to once again jump start her body. It didn't last long, for she barely had any control over it, but she needed to release the restless demon that clawed at her from its prison. The Houkou was usually silent, only lending her chakra when she asked for it or about to die, but it had begun growing restless when it learned she'd set her sights on a boy. Another demon vessel.

Before her body hit the ground the demon's chakra began rising around her, pushing her own down to make the jutsu take complete control. Though she was still a bit aware of what was happening around her, she fell into the prison of darkness the Houkou had. Her body slumped more against the charka rising from her body and into that of the model she'd created. With her life hanging in the balance the shadows around her leapt to protect her, creating a solid shell around her, while the demon's chakra easily swam from the places the shadows allowed it to escape from.

The eyes of the black dog turned a blood red, the form shaking as it tested its new body. The Houkou laughed, tilting its head back in order to show the gasping crowd its fangs, each one sharper than anyone would have expected. Drawing on the chakra of its vessel a bit, the Houkou manipulated the shadows to form five tails behind it, each one taking in the chakra it controlled. The demon knew, though, that it could not kill its vessel, and it also knew that it would soon be returned to its prison. However, for now it would have fun.

Temari's eyes widened, her fan instantly coming to form a shield between her and the demon. She knew that she did not have much of a chance against a demon alone.

"That's not good," Kankurou strained, his voice tight. He took another glance at Gaara, noticing how his little brother had straightened upon feeling the chakra of the demon. Hell, he could fucking see it rising from the black dog, only black because of what it was made of, in the form of what looked to be white mist. He knew otherwise, though. And this was not good—not good at all.

The black mirror glinted against the sun innocently, but the Houkou's gaze was directed toward it. The dog growled, turning its head down at the shield formed around its vessel. "You still do not trust me," the dog barked in amusement. "A wise girl you are, even if you're dead inside." Its voice was dark and menacing, almost rivaling that of the Kyuubi's when it was alive. It had been so long since it had been released, it was not surprising its vessel would think to have someone control it.

Temari's eyes snapped toward the mirror when suddenly its surface seemed to reach out, looking to have exploded from the inside. Once it shrank back a small girl stepped from within, a girl who wore completely white. She looked exactly like Kagome, only younger, and bound over to the dog as it glared down at her. Temari wondered exactly what the child was, since it was obvious it had come from Kagome's jutsu. Whatever kind it was.

She was positive the girl had created it herself.

The dog lowered its head, allowing the young child to climb atop its snout and felt it sit just between its ears. All five of its tails snapped about as it set its gaze onto the girl it knew its vessel had been fighting against. She could have easily won without having to call upon the demon, itself, it knew, but it did not matter. "Woman," the dog snapped, "I am the Houkou, the five-tailed dog! I am the Master of Illusions. However, I shall not use them on the likes of you. You are too weak." The dog laughed, "They would kill you!"

The child padded its head, "Get on with it, Houkou."

It felt the need to snap at the child, but knew that it held the power to easily send it back into its vessel. After all, that was what it was created for. To cause its vessels chakra to flare, snapping its body and mind away from the gates of death and instantly sealing it once more. It turned its attention to the wind user before it, hiding behind her fan. "You're weak. You live your life like any other would," it took a step forward, watching the wind user flinch. "However, my vessel, Higurashi, lives with great pains. She knows that she is the reason her Clan was destroyed, for she released me experimentally. She holds great pain! She is dead inside!"

"Houkou," the child warned.

"Much like your brother she feels that she must do something in order to feel truly alive. That is why she has set her attention toward him, knowing that he feels as she does." The Houkou hissed, "It is people like you who make her feel that way. It is people who judge her simply because she holds something greater than others!" The dog snapped, its eyes bleeding to a deeper red, "So die, girl, and allow us to feel alive!"

Temari gripped her fan, manipulating the wind to move her into the air. She didn't expect for the child to suddenly appear before her on the fan as well. She screamed, watching as claws and fangs formed on the child, its ears disappearing and forming into that of a dogs on top of its head.

"Do not think you can get away," the demon laughed, watching as the child suddenly ripped through Temari's fan, completely destroying it. The fan would be of no further use to her. The girl fell from it, while the child was left high in the sky, howling toward the sun as if it were the moon. "I control not only my abilities but that of my vessel's while she awaits for life to once again fill her!"

The child shook its head, turning its dead eyes toward the falling girl. "I am Kagome," it whispered. "I am dead inside, but the blood of others causes me to feel as if I can live. I hide beneath a mask, but inside I am nothing but a frightened child who does not know where to turn. I am a demon to the core, a person who will willing rip apart those who stand in my way." The girl hit the ground, the sound of snapping signaling that she'd broken something. "I am truly Kagome, for I do not hide behind a mask of happiness. I control the Houkou."

The dog leapt forward, its chakra flaring at the smell of blood. Its nose found the girl, whimpering upon the ground. "Do not stand in the way of my vessel, girl," the dog laughed. "I, unlike most, am not afraid to merge and share my chakra with that of hers. We are like fire and ice, yet we melt together as if made for one another. I wonder, she and your little brother are much alike… will he be able to move past his foolishness to only love himself and mend her shredded heart? Or will he be killed beneath my power?"

There was a small flare from the body within the solid prison, protecting the vessel that it now had. The Houkou turned its head to gaze at it, watching as the flare became stronger. "I will kill you now," the dog growled, "for my vessel shall awaken soon." The dog opened its mouth, the fangs dripping with what looked to be black drool. As it went to bite into the whimpering wind users broken body, there was another flare, larger than the last.

"Your time is up, foolish dog," the child said, standing in front of the Houkou. "You will return to your prison now and await the next time you're to be released!"

Kankurou was frozen, watching as the giant dog went to take the killing blow. He should have done something, but then the dog jerked, the child's voice echoing across the arena. The dog jerked again, its chakra beginning to leave the dog that it had taken. However, it swiped its paw before the body collapsed upon itself, the chakra leaving the body and returning to the place where Kagome's body was protected. He leaned against the railing, shouting as his sister's body was tossed through the air as if nothing but a rag doll, "Temari!"

His hand came up to clench his head as confusion raced through his body. Shukaku began fighting against him, wishing to be released as the dog had been. He fought against it, knowing now was not the time. But something within him began to bled once more when he heard the words from not only the dog but the small child, the mirror image of Kagome's true self. His need for blood was not great, but something else was. Somehow, unknowingly, he felt almost tied to the girl who suddenly rose from her small hiding place, the completely black ball that melted away just as the body of the five-tailed dog did.

Somewhere within him a small, crying, child reached out toward her own, knowing that they shared the same pain. Knowing that they were similar in so many ways and that she'd accept him because of it. The child whimpered and whined, knowing that it could find comfort with that of the one the girl had released. The real Kagome. The girl who hid herself beneath a mask of happiness that no one could see past, unless they understood her pain. The boy wished to be loved, even when he had vowed to only love himself, because it knew she would understand and be able to love him.

He felt tied to her and her pain. The fact that she knew what it was like to be shunned simply because she was different, and wished to kill everyone who ever said she was. He had not ended up killing everyone yet, but he knew that they feared he might. She had. She had killed everyone in her Clan because of an accident, and it must have pained her so. He didn't know why, but he felt the need to comfort her, to tell her that it wasn't her fault, but the fault of the demon that she carried. The dog should have known not to kill those she had loved.

Gaara gripped his heart with his other hand, not understanding the feelings that were rushing through him. The sand within his gourd demanded to be released, though he didn't understand entirely. It was like it wanted to touch the girl. Not kill her, but wrap around her in a gentle embrace. He fought it down, knowing that the sand did, as it wanted of its own accord, but most of the time that it simply protecting him. Now it wished to do something entirely different and he couldn't understand. Just as he couldn't understand why his heart felt like it was bleeding again.

It was all her fault!

But he felt like he couldn't blame her for it. Like he didn't want to. His hand clenched over his clothing, wanting nothing more than to have something to kill. He couldn't touch her, more in fear of what would happen, something he was sure would be unexpected. He hoped the Uchiha would hurry his ass up, for he wanted nothing more than to rip him to pieces. Perhaps present his head to those who wished to see it… mainly her, if she so wished it. He wanted to splatter his blood upon the ground in hopes that the half of him that wanted, _craved_, love would die down and allow him to return to _normal_. Or as normal as anything got.

Kagome rose to her feet, her chakra low from the power it took to revive her from her temporary _death_. She stumbled a bit, her hand lifting in silent command for the shadows to drag Temari to her. Once she saw them do as she'd ordered, bringing the limp body toward her, she watched as it dropped Temari's broken form in front of her. She felt nothing at the fact that she'd nearly killed _his_ sister, knowing that she wasn't exactly loved. They were fools only connected by blood, nothing more.

Temari's eyes fluttered open a bit, blood dribbling from her lips as she heard Genma call the match to Kagome. She gazed at the girl, respect and horror filling her eyes as she thought about what the girl might do now. She knew that something was broken, she couldn't feel one of her legs, and her entire back was exposed from the wind that had cut at her during her flight. It was almost like she'd had her own Whirlwind turned against her. "You… you're a good opponent, Kagome," she mumbled.

Kagome nodded stiffly, her eyes showing the pain she truly felt with each life she took. "You did not deserve my wrath, Temari," she replied. "But I am not weak and I shall not allow others to get in my way. I believe that there are only two people here who might stand a chance of defeating me, but you are not one of them." She smirked, "After all, both for demon vessels as well."

Temari nodded. "Gaara…" she stopped, trying to continue. She wanted nothing more than to fall into the sweet blanket of sleep, in hopes that her body would recover in time for the plan. She knew there were very slim chances of that happening, though. "Gaara has… never been loved…" she stopped for a moment, "his… his heart bleeds… I… I think that if you… loved him… he would… return it… Kagome…"

Kagome's eyes narrowed a bit. "Do not try to meddle in my—"

"First…" Temari whispered, "…you need to get past… his barrier… and then… Kagome… you need to… show him that you truly wish… to love him… Otherwise he'll simply… retreat from anything you try… I hope that you… can make him happy… Kagome…" Temari allowed her eyes to flutter closed as she felt sleep tugging at her, "I do…"

Kankurou glanced at Gaara again, watching, as he seemed to fight against himself once more. He wondered for a moment if Gaara was fighting against the feeling to kill the girl who'd hurt their sister, or because of _something_ else. He backed away slowly, trying not to set the boy off, knowing that Gaara would have no regrets with killing anyone in his family. However, his eyes flickered to the ring when the medic-nins finally came to cart Temari away and the girl came running toward them, easily running up the side of the building and flipping into the box. He would have glared at her if not for the fright that she might kill him, whereas she'd allowed Temari to live.

Kagome took a small glance at the redheaded boy she'd taken an interest to, before smiling softly. A true smile that reached her eyes. However, as she began to move past him, she felt his hand sneak out and grab her sleeve, stopping her from moving as she heard Genma say something about them waiting ten more minutes for Sasuke to show himself. Naruto and Shikamaru were nowhere to be seen, but her attention barely caught any of that, her eyes staring into the eyes she and her demon came to admire. She couldn't quite understand the emotions rushing through them, though.

Gaara stared at her for a moment, before releasing her when he realized what he was doing. He watched her, though, bringing his hand up to clench the place in front of his heart once more. The child within him was afraid that the words were false, that she hadn't meant it, and he quickly turned away from her. He turned once more when he felt her hand on his shoulder, and once again began fighting with his sand and his demon in order not to suddenly drag her into his arms.

"Good luck, Gaara," she smiled. "If Sasuke shows up… though I doubt he'd wish to miss his match."

And, within that moment, a silent connection was made. One that would not be broken, no matter who tried to sever it. One that showed how two people could overcome their past and look to the future. The tie that would keep them together had been strengthened and there wasn't a soul in the world that could break it.

_--Fin_


	23. A Deeper Understanding: Uchiha Itachi

_**Title:** A Deeper Understanding_

_**Summary:** Sasuke wonders why his brother destroyed the Uchiha Clan, besides to test his strength. While resting in the hospital, he remembers a girl his brother had been fond of. Another Uchiha… a girl who…_

**Pairing:** Itachi/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

"_Foolish brother, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life_."

The words haunted him as he tossed and turned in the bed they'd placed him within. They were the same words that had been spoken to him a few days ago, yet the wound was still bleeding, tearing at his insides. The bastard. His very brother, who claimed he wasn't worth killing! Claimed that he'd killed their entire Clan simply because he'd wanted to test his strength and they were all beneath him. The words had fallen from the very mouth that he'd grown to detest, wishing nothing more than to kill the bastard who'd taken away his family.

And to think he'd once thought he loved him. That Itachi was the greatest brother in the world. The strongest, and the coolest. The brother that he could look up to and hope to become like! Well, he didn't wish to any longer, for he knew what type of a monster his brother really was. That his brother was nothing more than a bastard who needed to be killed in order for everything to fall back into place. Even if it wouldn't bring them back.

In his mind he could see his brother taunting him, the words echoing over and over again. Each time he tried to pull away they would grip him with razor sharp claws and instantly bring him back to begin again. To once more show him that not even his sensei could defeat his brother. That his brother was nothing more than a monster that needed to be killed.

But couldn't be!

Sasuke sat up suddenly, remembering only the glinting of metal from his dream when he awoke. He was glad, for his body shook with clear signs that what he'd seen was enough to make him wish to simply crawl into the darkness hole and cry. His own brother mocked him, laughed at him at the fact that he wasn't strong enough to defeat him. That he had been twice as strong by the time he was the same age as he was now. He knew it was true, but it wasn't something that he wished to admit to, especially not at this moment and time.

Running his hand through his hair, he looked around the annoyingly white room that he'd been placed within. Kakashi-sensei had insisted that he rest for as long as he could, especially with his brother still haunting him subconsciously. He wanted to leave, simply because he felt calmer within his own apartment, having left the Uchiha District many years ago. He'd feel safer there, but he knew that it wasn't safe. Not with his brother still out there.

Hell, he wasn't even sure if the hospital was safe anymore. But he'd listen to Kakashi-sensei's orders for the time being. He'd stay simply because he did need to recover. He needed to recover enough that he could force the haunting words away and then finally begin to move forward once more. To forget about his brother for the time being, but to subconsciously continue to train, to try and reach the level his brother had reached. To hope that he could someday, and hope that he'd be able to kill the bastard who dared call him his brother.

Deep down he whined and cried, wanting to know why Itachi was doing all these horrible things. Joining Akatsuki was not something that he had ever imagined anyone he knew doing. Especially not his brother. The brother he'd once cared so much for. Yet it was strange to know that his brother also merely left Kakashi-sensei with merely a wound, instead of killing him like he could have. It was not something that he would have thought a person in Akatsuki would do. So why had Itachi done it?

A small voice in the back of his head began to cry again. _Why! Why, Itachi! Why did you do it? Why did you kill them all? Why didn't you just kill me as well? Why! Why!_ He shook it away, knowing that they were questions that he wished he could have answered. Itachi should have owed him that much, but his brother had never been one for talking, and that was still the case. He knew he'd most likely have a sword through his gut than ever get his answers.

Staring at the wall across the room, Sasuke mentally shoved all of these thoughts aside. He needed to be thinking about ways of killing his brother, of avenging his family, not trying to talk to the bastard. Still, that didn't stop the fact that he wanted to know why Itachi had killed them all. He wanted to know if it was truly to merely test his strength, or something entirely different. After all, he'd never really understood his brother and he doubted he'd come to understand his line of thinking within the next few minutes. He doubted that anyone except for Itachi himself would ever come to understand why his brother was so twisted, but he wished he could understand. He wished he knew why all this had happened and why they couldn't have just been a happy family like before.

Now, though, he knew that would never be. They'd never be able to be a family beside they were dead! Itachi had killed them! They'd been dead for years and he needed to come to understand that. He needed to accept it, Kakashi-sensei had once told him, and move on with his life. But he couldn't. He clung to the hope that maybe Itachi and him could settle their differences and maybe one day be a family to a certain extent. But his hope had been crushed by Itachi's cold words, the words that told him that his brother was waiting for the killing blow only he might be able to give him.

"_Foolish brother, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life._"

Reaching his hand up to grip his hair once more, he wished he hadn't thought of it. Then the words would have left him alone and he wouldn't have to listen to them again. But he hadn't merely let it be and instead allowed them to flow into his mind like water, mocking him again and again. With the possibilities of what his brother could have also meant rushing through his mind, though it was clear what his brother had truly meant. Itachi wanted for him to continue running, trying to become the same level that he was, and hope to one day kill him. He was expecting it from him.

Resting his head on the pillow on the bed, Sasuke began to stare at the ceiling. He was alone. Isolated. No one would ever be able to understand his pain. At least not to the extent that he'd pushed himself to. There were many people who'd do anything to get close to him simply because of what he represented, but no one simply because he was Sasuke. He was a sad little boy who wanted to have his family back. No one accepted him that way… except for maybe Naruto. He smiled bitterly; knowing that that wasn't even a possibility since he wasn't into guys and he knew Naruto liked Hyuuga Hinata. Still, as a friend the dobe was pretty good.

Even if he wouldn't admit it to anyone but himself.

_Itachi… what is it that I don't understand_, Sasuke thought, rolling onto his side. _Why is it that you killed them and then ran off? Why didn't you allow me to face the same fate? Do you truly want me to kill you, or is there more that I do not understand? _He clung to these thoughts, gripping each one of them as if they were precious drops of water and he was in need of them.

His mind went back to times when he'd roam the Uchiha District with either his brother, or in search of him. He wasn't sure why, but many of the times he remembered his brother searching out something as well, and sometimes there'd be another person with them. He'd been jealous at the person for taking the attention of his brother, but he'd blocked the memories so much that he really couldn't remember most of it. As if it was hazy and unclear. Sometimes his brother would be with the person, or shooting jealous looks toward a boy who seemed to have a fancy for the person. This led him to believe it was a girl, even with the memory unclear, because his brother had never showed any interest in the male population. Not that he'd ever shown much to the females, either, but it was more than the males. Normally he'd been devoted to training or hanging out with him, but whenever he wasn't it was usually the women he'd be polite to.

He knew the other person had always been within the Uchiha District, so that led him to believe it was another Uchiha. But he wasn't positive. It wasn't often that others came in unless under business, but she was there more so than anyone else. So, it must have been another Uchiha, though why the memories were beginning to fester in his mind wasn't something he understood either. It wasn't like he needed to know what his brother had used to love to do during his free time… or better yet. He didn't want to know.

Emotions that he'd locked away began coming forth with each memory, each one almost feeling like the haze was beginning to fall away. As each memory past by the emotions he felt began to change. First he'd been jealous at the person for taking his brother's attention and then he began to feel like the person was very close to him. Then, to his confusion, he became jealous with his brother for a short period of time… before even that faded into the background. Only happiness was what was left, for not only his brother but for the girl. A hope for something beginning to rise, though it was crushed and rebuilt many times. The times that they fought, to the times that his brother would uncharacteristically pull her into his arms and simply hug her.

Shaking his head, Sasuke wondered what any of those things had to do with his questions. Nothing. Or he believed it to be nothing, since there was nothing he could truly find within any of them. Though he could remember a softness in his brother's eyes, almost like he'd agreed with himself finally and was going to do something life changing. He remembered asking him once, only to be shot a glare for putting Itachi into the position of being questioned by their parents. Obviously they hadn't even known about the girl.

_Kagome_, his mind supplied.

Frowning, he turned to his other side, once more trying to fall into sleep. He knew he wouldn't be able to, but that didn't stop him from trying. At least in order to escape the memories that began to haunt him. He didn't know that his simple few questions would cause his mind to begin going over the strange behavior his brother had shown for quite a few months before he'd destroyed their Clan. It was annoying and he didn't even think he could remember the girl.

_Kagome_, he remembered hearing his brother whisper. _Kagome_, he remembered hearing a boy shout. _Kagome_, he remembered shouting himself. _Kagome_, a woman called. _Kagome, Kagome, Kagome, Kagome, Kagome… Kagome… Kagome…_

The word swam together until he could barely recognize it, though he was positive he'd caught it the first time. What did _Kagome_ have to do with anything, though? Yes, he could remember that his brother had seemed to show her more attention than anyone besides himself, but that didn't mean anything. His brother could have had a crush on her, though even that was laughable. The cold Itachi having a crush. _Yeah, when pigs fly_.

Still, his eyes drifted closed once more, and he found himself standing within the Uchiha District once more. He knew he was dreaming, he did, but that didn't stop him from moving as he was guessed he was supposed to within it. He began running, shouting a name that he'd known all too well before finally coming to a stop in the darkness, and allowing people to merely stare at him in confusion. No one would harm him, he knew, for he was the head's youngest son, but concern for his brother washed over him. His father had sent him to find him and he would.

He felt like he was drifting through a memory as he walked down street upon street, sometimes venturing into alleys in search of his older brother. It wasn't about an hour later that he was ready to give up and simply return home to tell his father. Then his father would scowl and tell him to go to bed, before waiting for Itachi to return home. But he didn't want Itachi to get in trouble and get angry with him. He loved his brother and he didn't want him to show anything but the same emotion in return.

So, Sasuke continued searching, hunting underneath even the smallest of things, scaring cats whenever he found one for his own amusement. Then it began to get darker, and he whimpered into the darkness, wishing that he had decided to go home. Then he wouldn't be out here in the dark all by himself, while everyone else was obviously in bed or going to be retreating to their soon. He knew he'd be able to find his way home, and he'd probably find his brother already there, but he stayed for a few more moments and finally turned in defeat.

"Kagome," he heard from an alley he hadn't past down. He brightened at the name, knowing the girl because she hung around his brother a lot. They trained together at times, while sometimes they simply tried to keep within each other's presence. He knew that his brother was rather fond of the girl, treating her differently than most people, and he nearly skipped toward where he'd heard the voice. The voice that he could have sworn…

"Itachi?"

Sasuke brightened further, instantly knowing that the voice had been that of his brother. It meant that he'd wait until Itachi was done talking to Kagome and then he'd go home with him. He began running toward the voices, never really catching most of the conversation until he turned a corner and found his brother pressing the girl up against a wall. He stopped in confusion, wondering why his brother was acting so protective; holding Kagome there like he'd just caught his prey.

"I don't want to, Itachi," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his brother. Sasuke watched as his brother merely pushed closer to her, his hands still centered on the wall in front of him. It trapped Kagome between Itachi and the wall, and he wondered why exactly his brother was doing such a thing. Why was he gazing at Kagome in such a way, with the Sharingan no less.

His brother placed his face on her neck, placing what looked to be a kiss there. Sasuke blushed, quickly hiding behind the corner as his brother kissed his way up so that his mouth was resting against her ear. "I won't let them," Itachi said. Sasuke blinked, wanting to know why his brother suddenly seemed to possessive, why he was declaring things like that.

He saw tears in Kagome's eyes and watched as they began to fall from her eyes. "They've already… Itachi they've… I don't want to marry him, even if it won't be for a few years," she whimpered, wrapping her arms tighter around his brother. His eyes widened, for he hadn't known that Kagome was arranged to be married. His jaw dropped, watching as Itachi clamped his mouth down onto her neck and began sucking, almost like the skin mark would stop the marriage from happening. "Itachi… I… I lov—"

Sasuke blushed harder when his brother clamped his mouth over Kagome's, tilting her head to the side in order to not knock their noses together. He knew what Kagome was going to say and was slightly surprised that his brother hadn't allowed her to finish proclaiming her love to him. He wondered slightly if it was because Itachi simply knew, or because he didn't want to hear it at the moment. Not after hearing that Kagome was going to be married off to someone. After all, Itachi seemed to like Kagome, so why hadn't he allowed her to say it in return? Unless… Itachi didn't like Kagome that much…

His brother's hands found themselves on Kagome's hips, lifting the girl from the ground as he continued to attack her mouth. Sasuke didn't know what was happening and he was sure he didn't want to, but he watched as the tears Kagome was producing dripped onto his brother's face where they were forgotten. Though blushing, he was saddened at the fact that his brother liked Kagome and she was going to be marrying someone else.

Kagome pulled away finally, whispering, "Itachi…?"

Itachi seemed to growl, pressing her up against the wall once more. His eyes, even from Sasuke's view, were staring into hers with possessiveness and desire. "I won't allow it to happen," Itachi spat. "I won't."

Tears began falling from Kagome's eyes. "But…"

"You're mine," Itachi snarled. "Mine, and I won't allow anyone else to have you!"

Sasuke's eyes widened upon hearing the words that left his brother's mouth. His jaw dropped open once more, not really understanding to what level his brother had just claimed Kagome. He listened as Itachi began telling her to run away and how he'd come to find her. He listened as Kagome argued that the rest of the Clan would come in search for her, before Itachi pressed her tighter against the wall. He heard something along the lines of, "I'll take care of it, just wait for me," before he finally turned tail and ran. He was sure he wasn't supposed to be hearing this. Itachi wouldn't like it that he was listening to it… to them as they plotted something.

* * *

Sasuke awoke suddenly, looking over to find Sakura and Naruto standing over him. He blinked a few times, wondering just how long he'd been asleep, since he was positive it had been completely pitch black when he'd finally drifted into his dream-like memory.

"Oh, did we wake you, Sasuke?" Sakura blinked, smiling weakly at him. "I'm so sorry if we did."

Shaking his head, he muttered, "No."

Sakura smiled.

Naruto pouted, simply looking down at him while he got all the attention.

And, like usual, Kakashi-sensei was nowhere to be seen.

Bringing his hand up, Sasuke brushed his hair back, before turning his head toward the window. The image he'd seen, he was sure, was just a few weeks before the Clan had been slaughtered. He remembered that Kagome disappeared, but he was sure she was with Itachi. Either that or she'd vanished during some time.

Sighing, Sasuke ignored the others. He felt like he could almost understand why his brother destroyed the Clan, but he was still confused. Deeply, for he almost thought for a moment that he heard his brother's voice in his head once more. But the words weren't cruel and cold, but warm and caring. The words lingered in his mind for only a moment, and then they were gone. They were, "I love you, Kagome," but he wasn't actually sure if he'd ever heard his brother say such a thing. Never. But he could almost feel as if he knew what they were doing at that exact moment.

* * *

A woman smiled, "I love you."

The usually cold male turned to give her a strange look and nodded. He'd heard it many times, but frowned when she did. Sighing, he muttered, "I love you, Kagome."

Kagome smiled. She knew she'd told him many times, but she was happy with him. Even if he was now with Akatsuki. Yes, he'd killed everyone she'd once loved, but he'd done it so that they could be together. Yes, she'd been angry with him for a long time, but she felt she shouldn't be angry with him anymore. She smiled brighter, "Thank you."

He nodded once more, resting his hand on her shoulder. He hadn't told her, but he'd do anything for her. No one would ever know, but she was his weakness. He truly loved her, even if he didn't sound like it. A smirk formed on his lips as his thoughts turned to that of his brother. Little Sasuke. The boy needed to be stronger if he wanted to truly survive, to hope to get through some of the missions he might be sent on. A part of him wished that was the reason he sought to make his brother train harder, but another piece of him wanted to make him understand why he'd killed their Clan. Why he couldn't allow Kagome to marry another man.

His hand twitched. He wasn't even sure if Sasuke could ever understand such a thing. The boy was far too young. Besides, none of the kunoichi Sasuke could ever meet would be like his Kagome. None of them, and for that he was happy. Even if it was only for a fleeting moment.

_--Fin_


	24. Unbound Desires: Hiei

_**Disclaimer:** Please take note that I don't own any of the songs that might appear in any of the one-shots. This one is the first, and I'd like to say that the first song is "_Through Glass_ by_ Stone Sour_" and the second is "_Until the Day I Die_ by_ Story of the Year_"._

* * *

_**Title:** Unbound Desires_

_**Summary:** He always kept himself in check. He was cold and he never thought he'd end up inside a ningen club. He blamed it on his 'friends', but could he really blame them when he met her? Could he even think about such a thing when her strange eyes unbound his desires? Of course not._

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Anime:** YYH/IY

* * *

How did he even get himself into this mess? It was a good question, since he doubted that on any other day he would have allowed those fools to bring him _here_, of all places. It was ridiculous that he was even here in the first place. He didn't want to be there, he didn't wish to be there, yet he _was_ there. 

He blamed it on the Fox.

Yes, he knew it was partly his own fault for not paying much attention to what they were actually saying. Yes, he knew that he shouldn't have merely said 'whatever' when he heard Kuwabara speaking to him. Yes, he knew all of that, but that didn't mean that he had to like _this_ situation. He could blame it on whomever he wanted to blame it on, and it was the Fox who'd finally convinced him in the end. That stupid Fox and his sly words, twisting around his meaning, making it seem like they'd be going somewhere at least _interesting_.

He shot a disgusted look around the dance floor. This was most definitely not that place. This was not interesting at all! The damn music hurt his ears, making him want to either get the hell out of there or gut the nearest person. The lights flickered far to often for his liking, which irritated him. The smell of ningen sweat and lust was enough to make him gag, causing his rising fury to begin ticking away like a bomb. It was only a matter of time before he lost it and then Koenma would have to find a way to cover his ass for making such a bloodbath in Ningenkai. Especially in a place such as this, with so many people that could become his prey, each one falling on his claws.

He almost wished he had his sword. Then he wouldn't have to dirty his claws with their filthy blood. Ningens were such disgusting creatures. True, he'd come to know that not all could be placed underneath that category, but most could, and most of them with this _establishment_ could be. Should he end up allowing his control to slip, though, he'd have to settle with using his claws. Afterall, they would not allow him to carry a sword, and that damn Fox had somehow also persuaded him to leave it at his place.

Kurama was really grinding on his nerves lately. He wasn't sure as to why. Perhaps it was because he was being _domesticated_, as Yusuke had once mentioned, or maybe it was simply because he found himself doing things he didn't wish to. He scoffed at the very idea that _he_ was being domesticated, especially when the stupid Detective made it sound like he was some kind of house pet. He wouldn't allow such a thing to happen to him, nor would he allow himself to be conned into these things after this night. Once inside this hellhole was enough to make any youkai in their right mind never wish to return.

"Hey, shorty!" he twitched a little at the sound of the voice, turning to glare at the man who dared call him short. His crimson eyes settled onto Kuwabara, the huge oaf never even realizing the dangerous territory he continued to tread upon. "What's got you so tense?"

He ignored the question, instead turning his head to the redhead just behind the fool. His glare intensified at the amused look in the Fox's eyes, as a pleased grin crossed his face. He didn't know why he'd even followed the Fox once they arrived, but it might have just been his own curiosity. He might have hid it well, but that didn't mean he couldn't be curious about something.

"I hope you're doing well, Hiei," Kurama smiled.

"Hn," he growled. His eyes flickered toward the dance flood, quickly sidestepping as a drunken fool came stumbling toward him, obviously wishing to reach the bar to their right. Kuwabara was not so lucky, but it wasn't as if he cared. Actually, it was almost amusing to see the huge oaf get knocked around a bit.

Kurama shook his head lightly; "I'll take that as a, 'I'm just fine'." He cast his glance around for a moment, a frown crossing his features. "Have you seen Yusuke? He went rushing off all of a sudden and I haven't the faintest clue why. Especially when Keiko couldn't make it."

Hiei glared harder, his claws twitching at the Fox's obvious amusement to his condition. He held himself, though, for though he hated to admit it, he liked the fact that someone considered him a friend. He would never tell them that, but it was something that he wished to continue, even if he didn't quite know why. His mind quickly changed to that of Yusuke's mate, three months pregnant. "It is not surprising with how big she's getting," he grunted over the music.

Kuwabara, having rose from the floor and dusted himself off, turned to point a finger at Hiei. The crimson-eyed glare was instantly turned upon him, the apparition probably wishing nothing more than to torch him, but that didn't stop him. He would protect any woman that Hiei decided to make rude comments toward. "See here, shorty! Keiko's in a very delicate condition, you can't go around saying things like that. Especially since she's a woman," he said, crossing his arms. He was determined to make Hiei at least show respect toward the female population, even if it killed him in the end.

Hiei snorted, "Yes, very delicate, indeed. Obviously she wouldn't be in such a condition if the Detective could learn to keep his hands to himself."

Kurama sighed, "It is not surprising that Yusuke would fulfill his desires with his wife. After all, he did take her not only in the ningen custom, but the youkai one as well. He'll probably be like this for the next few years. Trying to strengthen his family line in hopes that—"

Yusuke cut him off by placing his hand onto Kurama's shoulder. "Hey, I thought I heard somebody talkin' about me. You guys aren't talking about me behind my back, are you?"

"No, of course not, Yusuke," Kurama said. Smiling he added, "Where did you run off to, Yusuke? You seemed to be in quite a hurry."

Yusuke scratched the back of his head, his messy hair almost glinting in the light from the sweat he wiped into it. "Well, you see…" he knew he sounded nervous, but when it came to _her_, there was nothing he could do but he nervous. Nervous about the next time he was going to get hit, that was. "I kinda saw a woman that I knew, and…"

Hiei snorted. "Cheating on your mate so early in your relationship, Detective. Tell me, how many times do you wish to die, exactly?" He was putting two and two together, taking in the sweat that was forming on the Detective's brow and the fact that he looked rather beat. It wouldn't surprise him if Yusuke had gotten tired of his ningen mate, though it was disgusting and dishonorable to think he was cheating on her with another ningen woman.

Yusuke's shoulders dropped, "No, it's not like that…"

"YOU'RE CHEATING ON KEIKO!" Kuwabara roared, bringing his fist up to strike Yusuke in the face. There was no way he was going to allow such behavior to go unpunished. Especially after he'd been filled in about all that youkai mating crap, since everyone else had known about it.

Yusuke tensed, turning to give the apparition his 'I'm-going-to-get-you-back-for-this, Hiei' glare. He caught Kuwabara's fist before it smashed his nose to pieces, quickly turning his glare toward his old friend. "Now see here," he growled, "I'm not cheating on Keiko, ok?"

Kuwabara blinked. Giving Yusuke a suspicious look, he slowly asked, "You're not?"

"No, damn it!" Yusuke nearly shouted. "I was going to say that I saw the god damn Bitch from Hell!" He looked behind him quickly, making sure she was nowhere in earshot, "If you'd only listen to what I say for once, instead of getting only a piece of the fucking information then you'd know that!"

"Bitch from Hell, Yusuke?" Kurama asked, tilting his head to the side. That was certainly not what he was expecting. It created a new puzzle that he wanted to fit the pieces together, finding out something new. Sometimes he cursed his old life, the fact that Youko had decided to take a home inside his mother, instead of someone elses.

Yusuke nodded, "Keiko's cousin." He looked behind him suddenly again, on the defensive as he waited for the attack he was sure would soon find him. "I met her at the wedding, Keiko insisting that she was present, though I hadn't even known she had a fucking cousin. Especially not one like _her_…"

"Hello, Yusuke!"

He cringed. He wanted to know how the hell she popped out of nowhere!

Hiei allowed his eyes to focus on woman standing behind Yusuke, smiling innocently, though her eyes were promising pain. He found his eyes connecting with hers as she smiled at him for some odd reason, until she turned back to Yusuke, waiting for the Detective to give her his attention. Amusement finally found itself leaking out of his body at the obvious fear and discomfort the Detective was feeling at that moment. It was good to know he wasn't the only one who was feeling out of place.

She smiled wider, "I was wondering where you'd run off to when you said you 'hurt your back'. You know, if you want me to, I could pop it for you! Maybe that'd make you feel better."

"No, no," Yusuke said, rubbing at his lower back, remembering the last time. "I think it'll get better on its own, no reason to accidentally hurt it more!"

They stared at him suddenly, each one of them snapping their attention to him. He sounded so polite all of a sudden, almost like he was afraid to be anything but. What seemed like silent snickering could be seen coming from two of them, while the third merely raised his eyebrow at the Detective's reaction. He wasn't often that he was so kind to someone. There was obviously something this woman had done to make him think about being himself.

She nodded, "Of course not. After all, we don't want to hurt widdle Yusuke, do we?" She twiddled her fingers against his back, watching him jump forward, nearly ramming into the redhead within their group. Smiling at him when he turned to give her a frightened gaze, she looked around at his, what she assumed to be, friends'. She certainly hadn't been able to meet them at the wedding, though she was positive she'd felt their presence. "Who are your friends, Yusuke?"

Calming himself, glad that for once the attack wasn't coming, he forced his body to relax. Raising his voice just above the music, he said, "Oh, yeah. Well, this is Kurama, Kuwabara, and Hiei." He made sure to point to each of them as he did, knowing that she'd probably not talk to them anyway. She seemed to have a thing with making his life a living hell.

Her smile turned brilliant, true, instead of the fake one she'd been giving Yusuke. "Hello," she bowed, "I am Kagome."

Kurama smiled, "It is a pleasure, Kagome-san."

Kuwabara nodded, slightly stunned by the fact that Yusuke knew this woman and he'd never told any of them. If he wasn't going after Yukina then he might have dropped down in front of her and asked her to go out with him. However, something told him he'd probably end up with a black eye. "Ah… what he said," he pointed to Kurama.

"Hn."

Turning her attention to the full-youkai, she laughed. Even though it was slightly low, and barely heard over the music she'd caught it. "Hn, to you to, Hiei!"

His eyebrow lifted once more, his eyes turning on her in confusion. That was not what he'd expected. Certainly not toward the Forbidden Child, at least—especially not with what _she_ was. He wasn't stupid. He could feel the ki she was radiating, silently telling those around her that she didn't want there attention. He wasn't irritated enough to not notice that she was a miko, nor the fact that she seemed to be perfectly comfortable in the presence of not one, not two, but three youkai. After all, only the oaf was completely ningen.

She turned her attention away from the slightly shorter youkai, though it was only a couple of inches in difference. She'd never been very tall, but that didn't bother her. "So, Yusuke," she turned her attention back to the cringing man, "why did you run off all of a sudden? All I did was ask you how Keiko was and the next thing I know… you were gone!"

"Ah… Keiko, right," he muttered. _That_ was not what she'd said to him at all when he'd been dancing with her, trying to speak with her upon her request! No, it'd been something along the lines of bringing Keiko to see her or being beaten into his grave. He could understand why the _pure, innocent, lovely, kind,_ and _giving_ woman would say such a thing, though. _Bitch_, raced through his thoughts.

"Yes, Yusuke," she nodded. "Keiko, or have you forgotten all about your dear, sweet, loveable wife, who will be birthing you a child?" Her eyes turned predatory, taking in the way Yusuke tensed, and went to defend himself. "Then again, it would be surprising if anyone, even someone like you, could ever think of such a thing when they were married to Keiko. Am I _right_, Yusuke?"

He knew that tone. It was the same tone she'd used the last time she'd known she was right and wanted him to say it. His eye twitched as he smiled at her, trying to remain as polite as he could. "Of course you are," he strained.

She flipped her hair over her shoulder, "Good!"

"Bitch," he muttered, turning his head so that he was no longer looking at her. He knew he had it coming, though he didn't know how she'd heard him say it, but her fist was suddenly in his face.

She glared at him, wafting in the stunned silence of his friends. "Don't you dare call me such a name, you imbecile! I have been nothing but kind to you and you dare call me such a thing! If anyone is the bitch, Yusuke, it is you. Look at you sprawled out on the floor like the bitch you are! It does not surprise me that you try to avoid me." She gave him a smug look, "After all, if you are the bitch then I must be the alpha bitch, for there is no way I am even close to below you. Not only that, but it is clear just where I should tell Keiko to place you each time I come to visit. Perhaps you're more accustomed to being on your knees?"

He smirked. True, most of her words all meant, or hinted toward the same thing, but it was still amusing. It seemed that there were a few ningen women who were interesting.

Kurama eyed his friend, silently taking in the way Hiei's eyes suddenly roamed the woman's body. It seemed his friend liked the fact that the woman was showing a more dominant side. It probably called to his instincts, screaming for him to dominate her spirit by taking her body. Then again, he could never tell what was going on inside of Hiei's mind unless he let him. He doubted this would be something that the apparition would allow anyone to know of.

"_I'm looking at you through the glass  
Don't know how much time has past…"_

Kagome brightened, turning to look out on the dance floor. "Oh, I love this song! Yusuke, dance with me!" She turned to find that the man had managed to lift himself from the floor, though he was obviously not going to do, as she wanted. She grabbed his sleeve, "Please dance with me, Yusuke! Please!"

"No way in hell," he said, pulling away from her. "I'd rather dance with a person who has two left feet than with you!"

She stiffened, turning toward him. He didn't seem to notice, nor did the others, but one of them managed to see the way her eyes flickered to a magenta color. "Yusuke," she hissed, making sure her voice was still over the music. The lights were flashing to the beat, begging her to swing her hips and rock her body to the music that swept through the club. "Dance. With. Me."

"No!"

"_DANCE WITH ME_!" she shouted, digging her nails into her hands.

"Go back to hell where you belong!" Yusuke replied, leaning in toward her.

Kuwabara huffed, "Yusuke, you can't—"

"Shut up, Kuwabara!" Yusuke snapped. "This is between me and the Bitch from Hell! Don't you dare try to get into the middle of it with your crap." He watched his friend deflate.

Kurama sighed, "Really, Yusuke. I don't think that's necessary. You could just dance with her for a while and then return here. I'm sure none of us would object to the idea."

His crimson eyes settled back onto her for a moment, before shaking his head. He might have become interested a bit but there was no way in hell he was going to do such a thing. He stiffened a little at the Fox's suggestion, watching as his green eyes were placed upon him for a moment. He glared at him, knowing almost exactly what was going to come next.

"Or…" Kurama smiled softly, "Someone else here could dance with you. I'm afraid I'm not very good, but perhaps…" He cast a glance at Hiei, watching the apparition as he became stiffer. Though he might be correct about Hiei's instincts wishing to show her how much more dominate he was to her, but he knew in that moment that Hiei would most likely protest the idea all together. He frowned, wishing for once Hiei would open up a little.

She gently swung her head back and forth, listening to the song as it began to end. She sighed, "It doesn't matter now, its over." She sniffled a little, giving Yusuke a watery glance, "I think I might go call Keiko…"

Yusuke nearly screamed, as he grabbed her, "No! There is no way I'm going to let you bring Keiko into this! You nearly got me killed with your fake crying the last time you called her!"

"Fake…?" She stopped suddenly, listening to the familiar beat that began coming out of the speakers.

"_Until the day I die  
I'll spill my heart for you, for you  
Until the day I die  
I'll spill my heart for you…_"

Her eyes turned completely magenta in color, turning upon Yusuke as he jumped back. "Dance with me, Yusuke!" she hissed, her eyes demanding that he do as she said. However, she knew that her gaze wouldn't work on him, no matter how many times she tried it.

Kuwabara had a brilliant idea at that moment. Since Kurama wasn't good at anything but ballroom dancing, Yusuke was taken, and he was going after another woman's affections, that left… "Hey, shorty could dance with you!" he said, pointing his thumb downwards toward Hiei. He could already feel his glare.

His head began to pound, the bomb's timer beginning to tick away faster at the suggestion of going into that crowd in order to dance with a ningen girl. The lights were flashing with the music, making him want to rub at his temples, rush from there, and perhaps wait for her outside. Let her dance by herself! he wanted to hiss, but her eyes turned upon him and he felt his body stiffen again.

"_As years go by  
I race the clock with you  
But if you died right now  
You know that I'd die too  
I'd die too…_"

"Please," she whispered. She knew he couldn't hear her, but maybe he'd feel her. She'd never understood why her eyes had changed once she'd gained complete control over her miko ki, or the reason why it only happened when she was on this side of the well. She just knew that there were times when it allowed her to get what she wanted and she wanted this.

He grinned, grabbing Hiei by the shirt, tugging the youkai forward. He was positive that Hiei was merely stunned by the fact he'd grabbed him at all, but he nearly flung the black clothed apparition toward the female. He heard her giggle, and then grab Hiei's hand, though the youkai seemed to be reluctant to go still.

It took him a moment to realize that he was moving into the crowd of ningens, the woman pulling him forward toward a spot where there weren't that many people. Finally snapping out of his shock, he pulled her hand from hers, snapping, "Don't touch me, woman." Then her eyes turned toward him, the magenta eyes staring into his own crimson as he felt his instincts begin to rise.

"_You remind me of the times  
When I knew who I was (I was)  
But still the second hand will catch us  
Like it always does…_"

Kagome smiled, taking his hand once more. His eyes were turning completely red, flooding as his blood beast began to claw for control, though she wasn't frightened. It just meant that he'd dance with her, finally giving her what she wanted. She wasn't sure exactly what she'd done to him, but she was sure it was something good when he began moving with her as she rocked to the beat.

His hands slipped around her waist, pulling her closer, though not completely, as he felt himself begin to lose himself in a sea of thick fog. He kept himself in check for all this time, yet for some reason everything seemed to fade away as he began to move with her. It wasn't hard to match her movements, nor to keep up with her speed as she began setting the pace. He might not have enjoyed the music, or the people around them, but he certainly enjoyed her.

"_We'll make the same mistakes  
I'll take the fall for you  
I hope you need this now  
Cause I know I still do…_"

She spun in his arms, continuing to rock with the music, making sure that she didn't miss a beat. She loved this song. She was planning on buying the CD sooner or later, but she hadn't been able to find it yet. Yes, it was an American song, but it was still enjoyable. Even to those who didn't quite understand the words. Besides, anyone who came into this club knew that they'd need to probably understand English, since a little under half of them weren't Japanese.

That didn't mean she didn't understand them, though. She had spent nearly two years in America once traveling to the past was no longer an option. The Jewel had made sure of that once Inuyasha made his selfish wish. She'd returned when she'd gotten a letter from Keiko saying that she wanted to know if she could come to her wedding, which at the time had been two months away. Once she returned she couldn't find herself going back to America, though she wasn't sure why.

He didn't know why he didn't fight it; he usually would have in order to stay away from things such as these. He'd never thought about it before, yet he dug his claws into her hips and he began to, about taking a mate. Something in him wanted to dominate her and turn her into a submissive being, even for a fleeting moment. He narrowed his eyes, trying to knock the feeling away, but he felt like he'd been completely freed, everything he was feeling simply surging to the surface. He knew it wasn't everything, though, for everything would mean the ningens around him would be dead within moments so he could prove to her his strength.

His mind was fogged over. No longer did the lights bother him, or the music hurt his eyes. The smells seemed to disappear as he focused completely on the woman before him, moving along with her. Normally, he knew, he would never do such a thing, but he continued to ignore that, instead continuing to listen to her smell, her movements, and the fact that she was happy within _his_ arms. She was happy because he was dancing with her, the Forbidden Child giving into the desire, even though he didn't know why.

The magenta eyes flashed in his mind, reining him in closer to her.

"_Until the day I die (Until the day I die)  
I'll spill my heart for you  
Until the day I die (Until the day I die)  
I'll spill my heart for you…_"

Yusuke huffed, "What the hell is wrong with him?" He glared at the picture they made, watching as Hiei bent his head until his nose was resting against Kagome's neck. "Who the hell could even stand that bitch?"

Kurama tilted his head, "Hiei is acting strangely."

"I don't see what the big difference is," Kuwabara muttered, only to be cast two sets of unbelieving glances. "What?"

They sighed, turning to watch as Hiei pulled Kagome closer to him.

Kurama crossed his arms, "I'm still surprised he began dancing at all. This is not like Hiei. I wonder, if perhaps, she is able to control the way people interact with her when her eyes change."

"Probably," Yusuke growled. "Stupid bitch's eyes are always flickering whenever around guys. The single ones usually do what she says."

"Really?" Kurama asked, thoughtful.

"_My hands are at your throat  
And I think I hate you  
But still we'll say, "remember when"  
Just like we always do  
Just like we always do_…"

Kagome gasped when his tongue suddenly stroked the side of her neck. She turned her head to watch the youkai as he moved closer to her. She didn't mind the contact, in fact, a part of her almost craved for it on some level. She wanted it, though she wasn't exactly sure why she wanted it. She suspected it had something to do with that damned wish Inuyasha made, the wish to make sure that she would always be protected. Thus the Jewel would protect her, even from _death_.

She knew, because she'd nearly been killed by a rouge youkai, but she'd been brought back because of the wish. She didn't understand why, but she suspected Inuyasha had known he'd die soon, or that she'd be transported back to the future. Either way, she was no longer near him and her head was currently tilted to the side as Hiei's mouth attack her mouth, the spot where a mate would usually put a mating mark.

A moan escaped her lips as she continued to move to the music, not quite sure if he knew what he was doing. A part of her wanted it, the coloration in her eyes darkening, while another part fought against it. The part that knew exactly what might happen should he continue. He might bite down and then…

She moaned again, enticing him.

"_Yeah I'd spill my heart!!!  
Yeah I'd spill my heart for you!!!_…"

Her eyes flashed as she felt him begin biting just a bit. Not enough to draw blood, but enough so that a mark would form. His tongue then soothed over the place, and she was silently wondering what exactly he was continuing to do. Yet the piece of her that wanted it was ruling her body and she pressed closer to him, feeling the proof that he wanted to be there with her.

Her mind clicked after a moment. He was scent marking her! Telling other males that she was currently under his protection and there was a high possibility that he would take her as his mate. Dogs would press against their selected, but this was no dog. She wasn't sure exactly what type of youkai he was, but she knew that he had two opposing forces, which fought against each other.

"_My hands are at your throat  
And I think I hate you  
We made the same mistakes  
Made the same mistakes_…"

His hand reached from her hip and found her neck, digging them slightly in flesh as he pulled her head further to the side. Everything faded away, only her neck within his view coming into focus. Something inside of him clawed, demanded that he not do what he was doing, yet he stared at the red mark beginning to form over the slight punchers. His mark. Not a mating mark, but enough to tell others that he might begin courting this female.

Enough to tell them to stay away or die.

With another stroke of his tongue he heard her give a moan and grinned. His fangs scrapped against her soft flesh, biting down softly as she whimpered. She wasn't fighting him, and though that would have caused his blood to boil he knew he would be treading on dangerous ground then. He would have thought about killing everyone just so he could begin rutting with her. Then he would have gotten himself into bigger trouble than when he'd stolen that stupid sword. It was the reason that he'd gotten stuck on the Detective's team in the first place.

Moving up from the mark he'd created, he placed a hot trail of kisses along the length of her neck. His mouth finally stopped next to her ear, where he panted softly, enjoying himself when she pressed closer to him. His hand tightened slightly around her neck, telling her just how dangerous he could be; yet she merely moaned.

Yes, she was a ningen, but something within him didn't care. Something told him she was so much more. Something wanted her. Something… something demanded to have her.

"_Until the day I die (Until the day I die)  
I'll spill my heart for you, for you  
Until the day I die (Until the day I die)  
I'll spill my heart for you  
Until the day I die (Until the day I die)  
Until the day I die!!!_"

His tongue once more found itself on the mark he'd created, stroking it as the song came to an end and another began. He would have loved to stay there, wrapped around her the way he was, but she began to pull away. He wondered for a moment if she was rejecting him, and his blood beast demanded that he tell her she could not do such a thing, but then she grabbed his hand and began pulling him out of the crowd. The crowd that seemed too close for their own good.

The ticking bomb came back through the fog, but his arm wrapped around her waist in order to keep her by his side. Keiko's cousin, was she? Well, that was certainly interesting. A miko! He would have laughed if anyone would have told him he would have willingly allowed her to live after he finally came back to control. His desire was locked back under lock and key, but he was sure he'd be willing to unlock it once more. But only with her.

"That was fun," Kagome smiled. Her hand came up to brush the mark he'd placed on her left shoulder, and smiled brighter. "I'd like to do it again some time," she made sure her voice was over the music, even with the slight panting she was doing. It was hard to keep up with a youkai who was obviously naturally fast.

"Damn, shorty," Kuwabara laughed when they returned, "I didn't think you had it in ya."

Kurama smiled. "I must say it was rather interesting."

"Bitch," Yusuke mumbled, making sure neither heard him. He wasn't stupid enough to say it so that Hiei could hear him now. Especially after the mark he'd seen on her shoulder. If Hiei was going to court her then he'd need to make sure he watched what he said, or Keiko might end up without a mate rather quickly.

Hiei looked down at the miko smiling in his arms. Something within him was curious, probably from being around the damn Fox so much. Something within him wanted to know why she wasn't shrinking away, obviously knowing what the mark meant. Why was she still at his side, when he was the Forbidden Child, someone shunned in all three worlds? Instinctively he pulled her closer, knowing that he'd found something truly wonderful, for even if she was a miko, she had accepted him. He was curious as to why, but that meant he might just go after her, instead of allowing his scent mark to fade.

"Hiei?" Kagome asked.

"Hn."

"Thank you, for dancing with me," she said. "And I meant what I said. I would like to do it again some time. You make a very good partner."

"I'll think about it," he nodded. Deep down he knew he'd end up doing it again. As long as he focused on her, and only her, he'd be able to handle being within a place such as this. It wouldn't be too bad. Besides, it meant he'd be able to be near her once again. It would certainly give him enough time to figure out whether he wanted to take her completely or not.

Yusuke scowled, knowing she'd be around a lot more. _Why the hell did Hiei suddenly have to turn into some type of hormone-controlled boy?_ He huffed to himself, silently cringing at the thought of them getting together. And just because they'd danced together one night at a club, a club, which they had insisted he come to. Damn it, he'd screwed himself!

_--Fin_


	25. Worlds Apart: Uzumaki Naruto

_**Title:** Worlds Apart_

_**Summary:** She wanted to love him. She wanted to make him happier than anything. But, she knew that he most likely would not love her once he learned her dark secret. That she was one of the bijuu; a true demon, even if she tried to protect their village._

**Pairing:** Naruto/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

His brightly colored hair reminded her of sunflowers. Yes, sunflowers. The color almost matched perfectly, she remembered telling him that once. And it stuck out in a gravity-defying way, bending down a bit as it got longer, but still standing up. Almost like it was stretching to reach the sky—just like a sunflower did, though he'd probably scowl and blush if she ever truly told him that.

His eyes were like the clearest skies. A sky that went on forever, no matter how long or how far you managed to travel, searching so hard for the end. A sky that she would have gladly sat under in order to feel at peace, calmer than she had been since she'd been sucked into this strange world away from her father.

He was knuckleheaded, but he protected his friends and was stronger than most she'd come across. At least when it came to the heart. Yes, he was considered strong within the village he protected as Hokage, but he was strong in other ways. He protected those he loved, the village that had once shunned him, but learned that he was there because fate had placed him there. He was meant to protect Konohagakure until his final breath, and thus they respected him, even for what he was.

Though that was true, she knew, deep down, that they still would not have accepted _her_ for what she truly was. For the creature that hid beneath what they would have called a small glamour jutsu, though it was merely a manipulation of her jyaki. It was now a disguise, a way to hide the features that would have instantly pegged her as something other then human. They already thought that something was wrong with her, having strange strength and powers that they could not reach, even with the vigorous training they put themselves through. And it frightened them, until she became friends with their strongest shinobi, the one chosen to protect their village until his dying breath, or he chose another to take his place.

Still, she wished, deeply, that he would accept her. That he would see past the fact that she was different, that she wasn't human, and still be her friend… even if she wanted more. Even if her instincts screamed at her to somehow call out to Kyuubi no Youko in hopes of mating—of sinking her fangs into his shoulder and marking him as her own. Of once again expanding his lifespan, since it was so short compared to her own, especially after she learned how drawing on Kyuubi's chakra, combined with his accelerated cell regeneration, shortened his lifespan more in his younger days.

Not that he was _that_ old. She'd asked him once, as the curiosity of her species called to her to do, and been told twenty-eight, but she doubted that. He looked, _smelled_, more like thirty or higher. And he could not hide that from her, no matter how hard he tried.

Her fingers twisted around the end of her haori, her eyes narrowing slightly as his smile once more flashed within her mind. She'd once seen a picture of his father, and she couldn't help but see the resemblance that they had. She could see the differences, though. Like the small whisker marks that he had on his cheeks, a small feature he'd been given the time that Kyuubi was sealed within him. There was the brightness of his smiles and the way his eyes twinkled whenever he looked over Konohagakure. But, those were only the differences she saw from a picture to the son, so she could not be completely certain.

A small sigh past her lips as she thought about how stupid this actually was. She was hoping for something that she could not have. She was a demon. She _could_ not mingle with that… _human_ the way she wanted to. Even if she wasn't sure she was within her own dimension any longer, and he was the vessel of a demon that called to her. Besides, she should have been thinking about finding a way home. Of returning to her father and allowing him to find her the mate he'd promised to find her, in hopes of keeping her away from all the idiot suitors who weren't worthy of her. But… would _he_ be placed under that category if her father could meet him…?

_No._

Because he was different. He knew what it was like to be shunned, and simply pushed away because he was different. She'd been the same way all her life, different. She'd never tried to push away humans, and she'd sought to gain relationships with almost everyone she met, even if they tried to push her away and make sure she never returned. Which was the reason her father had to protect her most of the time, either killing the person, or escaping with her and yelling at her. Making her self torture for having no one that wanted to know her, for her, not because of who her father was, or how much power she contained. He knew, because though there were differences, he had similarities as well. He would most likely be able to relate.

_But even that does not remove the fact that he is human_. Her eyes turned toward the sky, catching sight of a few passing clouds. She'd gained the small trait from one of the smartest creatures she'd ever met, human or demon, named Shikamaru. She'd spoken with him, though she did not feel the same way about him as she did their current Hokage, and found that he had some serious cloud envy. No matter how much she tried, she could not remove that trait from him, and it made her nature come out more and more.

Which was bad. Very, very bad. Shikamaru managed to bring out most of her determination and calm. A girl named Sakura brought out her want to get close to another, a similar type of determination, even though she seemed to think she was trying to gain Uchiha Sasuke's attention. Uchiha Sasuke brought out her stubbornness, pushing her to the limit each time she glared or verbally fought with him. Hyuuga Hinata and Neji brought out her peace and made her feel at home, even when she did not think it best. And many others brought out pieces of her that she didn't even know she had. Just like _he_ brought out many things that she did not think would ever even rush through her body at sudden moments, and that was very bad.

For what would happen when they learned what she really was?

She didn't know, and she didn't want to find out. Which was the reason she was thinking about heading out toward Sunagakure. Though it was not as strong, she did feel a small pull toward another man named Gaara, the current Kazekage there. And she would stay until she felt the similar feelings rising within her, before she disappeared completely. Perhaps after a hundred years, if she still had not found a way home, she would return, knowing that the one she was beginning to want would be gone.

_Dead_.

The single word washed over her, making her narrow her eyes as she scowled at the clouds. She _hated_ that word more than anything. Especially now that she felt her heart clench at the mere thought of him dying. It would be easier if she did not have to watch him die, she knew that, but she was not sure if she'd be able to walk away knowing that when she returned he'd simply be gone. Living out his short human life and dying like they all did. _Dying…_

A tear fell from her eye, sliding down her cheek as she felt her body grow cold. She remembered her father once talking about feelings like these when he spoke of her mother and their relationship together. About how much they'd loved each other before her mother had been killed trying to protect her in her early years. She was lucky her father had managed to show before they'd taken her, along with the band of thieves they'd lived with, and killed the ones who'd killed her mother. But she remembered the emotion he'd spoken of more than anything. The emotion he'd described as love and she'd told him she'd find someday, though she'd seen doubt in his eyes. And now, she was beginning to understand why doubt had crossed through his eyes.

Love was a dangerous emotion that she should never have tried to obtain. She should have left it alone, instead of allowing it to grab ahold of her when she did not completely understand it. She shouldn't have allowed her curiosity to get the better of her and continued her friendship with the man whose smiling face flashed behind her eyes when she closed them. Not at first, but after time, and that was very bad.

The wind brushed against her, lifting her onyx colored locks off to one side gently. Her bangs, coming down over her face now, moved into her eyes and blocked her view of the sky above. A strange tingling feeling went down her spine as she caught scent of something on the wind. Something that she knew, but could not quite place at the moment—something that she had a bad feeling about. _Worse_ than anything she'd felt in a while, a long while. Yes, something very dangerous was coming, and she had a feeling that something bad could come from it in the end.

_Demon,_ her sensed screamed at her.

_Naruto_, flashed through her thoughts. She was up on her feet almost instantly after that, her eyes darting from side to side for a moment. Once she was certain the creature was not near her, but closing in the on the village that she'd left in order to find a peaceful place to rest, she turned toward it. She could not smell it well enough to tell what kind of demon it was, therefore she could not begin to think about how powerful it might be. She only hoped that the village could handle it without her for a while, and Naruto wouldn't be stupid enough to try his father's _Dead Demon Consuming Seal_.

Her feet picked up dirt as she raced off, her form seeming to flicker out of place as she moved. She'd been asked once how her teleportation jutsu worked so well, and she'd thought it humorous that shinobi seemed to think she was simply teleporting from one place to another… Shaking her head, she picked up her pace, telling herself not to think about such things at the moment. After all, she needed to get the Konohagakure as fast as she could, and thinking only made her slower. It made her lose track of her current goal, and that was not what she needed, especially not right that second.

She'd come to the outskirts when she heard the first huge bang, and the first thousand screams that instantly filled the air. Smoke and rumble filled the air as the demon came into view, its huge cat-like paws having easily knocked the wall surrounding the village to the ground. It was clear to her that it was some type of cat, but she could not tell which type exactly, except for the flames that seemed to engulf it every now and then. Its eyes were a murderous red, something having either spooked it, or sent it into a rage, thus transforming into its largest form and setting out to simply destroy.

A foolish move. She knew, for this world-contained humans who could do nearly magical things, yet the demons were almost weaker. Like the humans had come to understand, or mated with demons and thus began to gain some of their abilities. After so many years the line, if they'd mated, would still be filled with hanyou, but it would be so undetectable that even her nose could not pick it up. Truly these demons were foolish, for she would have never simply attacked a shinobi filled village, even if she were in a rage.

Already the scent of blood filled the air around her, filtering into nose and telling her that some of the people had already fallen. That only told her that Naruto would soon come. He would come in order to save the village, to save the people that lived within it. Which meant he might… he might…

Her eyes flashed only once, before she moved closer and closer to the fighting. She could see, even from the distance, a huge fire technique that most likely belonged to Sasuke flying toward the cat in the shape of a dragon. Along with it there were thousands of shuriken and kunai, while people screamed that they were being attacked. That _another_ demon had come to try and destroy their village, and she froze, thinking for a moment they were talking about her. But, as she listened and watched, coming to a complete stop, she noticed that the villagers unable to fight raced past her, each one barely paying her any attention. Almost like she was invisible to them.

Like she _belonged_ with them.

A small smile touched her lips, bitter from the thoughts that went through her head. Why did she even _care_ what these people thought? She was a demon! She should be proud to have such powerful blood running through her veins. Yet, she almost wished, that she were one of them. That she could live her life like they did, each day simply going on with her life, instead of hiding behind a mask. And, why should she hide herself. Humans and demons were worlds apart. She had no place with them.

…But, it had been a happy illusion until the walls came crashing down around her. Until she realized that she was not only shaming herself, but the blood that came from her demon parents. She was hiding because she'd been afraid what others would think of her. She'd hid herself in order to make sure they never found out what she really was. That didn't make them like _her_, though. No, that only gave them believe something that wasn't true. It gave them false hopes and a false friend. So, her illusion, her happiness, everything that she'd come to enjoy about Konohagakure was for naught, because they liked the _human_ girl she showed them, not the _demon_ that she actually was. She accepted that now, but she also hated the cat demon for making these thoughts finally come to her.

She hated it.

"Hokage-sama has arrived! Everyone, fall back and wait for orders!"

She _would **kill** _it. For that was the price it deserved to pay for taking the happiness she'd found from her. For making her finally come to realize what she was doing, even if she felt a small weight lift from her shoulders. If she ever wanted to truly belong with these people, then they'd have to come to terms with what she was. Not just that she was a demon, but the type of demon she was. A fox. A silver nine-tailed fox.

She disappeared once more, taking to the rooftops as she moved closer to the battlefield once more. She thought for a moment about dropping her disguise, but she knew that might get their attacks directed at her before she could do what she wanted to do. They might turn on her before she could save their lives. She couldn't allow that to happen, even if her blood only wished to spill that of the giant cat before her.

Her eyes caught sight of Naruto, standing tall, his hands moving quicker than the eye could see. Her eyes narrowed, remembering the signs from the last time she'd seen them, and knew that he was summoning Gamabunta. However, she watched as he suddenly stopped, surprised by her sudden arrival as she appeared in front of him. Her hair lifted in an invisible wind, and she knew that shinobi from all angles were staring at her, each one probably wondering why she was there. She had, after all, told them that she was not a shinobi, but a warrior; therefore she was not obligated to partake in their fight.

"Kagome?" Naruto asked, blinking a few times at the woman in front of him. He laughed a little, "I thought you said you're not a shinobi?"

She knew his eyes were questioning, but she did not turn to him, her eyes never leaving that of the red-eyed cat. It was staring at her, its nose twitching as it tried to determine what she was. Obviously it was being controlled by the darker side of its soul, thus its senses were to hectic to even catch her scent, or maybe it was covered so much that it did not realize the danger it was in. "I'm not."

He straightened, staring at her back. "Then why are you here? I know you said you were a warrior, but you can't fight a demon," he nodded toward an ANBU who'd asked him if they should hold for a bit longer. His eyes shot up to the demon, wondering if he'd be able to defeat it if he called upon Kyuubi, but knew that it would only cause him to leave the village he loved faster. He needed to rely on his own strength more often.

She paid him no attention, calling out to the demon in front of her. "Cat, I shall not allow you to bring this village more harm! I will give you one warning, and one only! Either leave, or parish!" Her eyes narrowed further when the cat gave a deep animal laugh at her words. From the scent she could tell now that it was male, thus most likely had an ego the size of Fire Country.

"They send one puny girl to fight me?" It seemed to male was not that far gone, after all. "Do you honestly believe you'll be able to defeat me, girl? I am a demon."

"As I am aware," Kagome growled. "_But you should not underestimate those around you._"

He laughed again. "So you know the demon tongue, do you? That will not save your life, no matter how good you smell."

"Demon tongue? Kagome, what is it talking about?" Naruto asked. She simply took a step away from him, and he reached out to grab her when he noticed that she was being surrounded by a strange chakra. Eyes widening, he saw her glance back at him, her eyes glowing red, and he wondered if she was using some type of demon sealing jutsu. If she was sacrificing her life as his father had when he was just a newborn. "Kagome!"

_Interesting._

_Kyuubi…?_

_It seems I was correct, kit. That girl is more than she seems. _Kyuubi laughed, Naruto easily able to see the giant fox staring down at him inside his mind. _Only a demon should know how to use demon tongue. Only a demon should be able to understand and put together growls and other animal noises to make words. Only a demon…_ Kyuubi laughed again.

Naruto growled in frustration, _what are you talking about? Kagome isn't a demon vessel, I would have noticed by now._

_You will find out soon enough, kit. Watch, and I promise you will get your answer…_

_Kyuubi!_ Naruto wanted his answer, but he knew that Kyuubi would most likely leave him in the dark. He wouldn't get his answer, which was why he turned to watch as the strange chakra surrounding Kagome intensified, becoming solid, hiding her from his sight. His heart clenched, wondering if she truly was killing herself. If she was going to take herself out of his life on purpose, without ever allowing him to tell her how he felt?

He'd given up on Sakura. He couldn't see himself with someone like Hinata, for the girl deserved someone that just wasn't like him. And every other woman simply wanted him now because he was Hokage. Well, he didn't want them, and most Kyuubi couldn't stand. Kagome was different. Kyuubi, even at first sight, hadn't said one thing against her, almost like the fox liked her. She treated him differently, even after she learned what he was, like she truly wanted to be his friend. Everyone, at first, never treated him that way. Never.

"Hokage-sama, what's happening?" Sasuke asked, landing next to the stiff man. They'd changed over the years, he knew that, but they were friends still. Even if he still tried to push Sakura away whenever he could. Women just didn't interest him after all the years that they'd tried to get into his pants, and so, he didn't want them. Sakura would need to come to terms with that, even if she was still slightly stunned from when he'd told her. He didn't think it would last, though, she'd probably think he'd been joking with her.

"I-I don't know," Naruto answered. His hands fisted, watching as the chakra became larger with each passing second. His eyes turned to Sasuke, "Do you?"

"No, I don't," and just for the moment, he added, "dobe" like old times.

Naruto stiffened, "Don't temp me, Sasuke-teme."

Bowing, he said, "Of course, Hokage-sama." Though his friend, he respected Naruto as he should, and he would do as his Hokage told him to. It was what he was meant to do.

Then, as a strange energy washed over them all, causing the shinobi to stiffened further, her voice spoke out. It was darker, while the cat hissed, taking a few steps back when it seemed to come out of its shock. "This Kagome will not allow you to harm this village. This Kagome shall rip you to pieces! This one will show you what true demonic power is like, and when she does, she shall make sure that you feel pain like never before. You death shall be enough to sate this Kagome's hunger, cat, and you should be pleased to know you shall."

Naruto was most likely the most affected, his knees almost giving way as he realized just what her voice sounded like. Kyuubi. She sounded similar, but with her own voice, in a deep and dangerous way. He stumbled back when a large silver paw burst through the chakra, the giant claws glinting in the sunlight, before a snout followed. The silver fur on the animal looked almost white, but as its head came into full view, he realized it was silver, pure silver. A tail broke through soon afterward, swiping the chakra away, and the huge animal stood there, Kagome nowhere to be seen. Naruto gulped, watching as the animals tail, what he'd realized looked very similar to Kyuubi, stood stiff and then split into _nine_ separate tails, each whipping around wilding. It was…

"It's a nine-tailed fox!" someone shouted. "Hokage-sama, the village will be destroyed if we do not get rid of that creature!"

"Where did that beast come from?"

"Where is the girl? Did it eat her? Possess her?"

"Hokage-sama!"

"Hokage-sama!"

"Hokage-sama!"

"Please, Hokage-sama, we need orders!"

But none of it reached Naruto's ears. He watched as the red eyes of the fox narrowed, an emotion he read quite clearly rushing through their depths. However, his mind was on another thing. He had heard Kagome's voice. He knew he had. Where was she though?

The fox growled, watching the cat as it took another step backwards. It was only a two-tail; it was not strong enough to go against a nine-tail. The only one to ever come close was the eight-tail, but it had fallen beneath the might of the nine-tail, and it always would. She was on the top of the food chain, and it would learn that as soon as she decided its fate. "This Kagome shall take pleasure in your death," she growled. "This village is… precious to this one."

The cat hissed. "I see, you mingle with filthy humans. Disgusting. And you're a nine-tail. You do not deserve even one of your tails, you stupid fox."

She snarling, "This Kagome has heard enough."

_Kagome… no…_

"Die." As soon as the word left her throat, she was upon the cat. Her fangs sank into its neck, but it had moved before her fangs locked onto its jugular. She grabbed it by the scruff and pulled it to the ground just outside of Konohagakure's walls, knowing that hundreds of shinobi were watching her. Listening to her as she revealed her identity. The cat roared in pain, trying to knock her off by digging its claws into her flank, but she held fast, the pressure increasing with each moment.

Blood filled her mouth, while her eyes glowed a darker red. She felt onto the demon that she truly was, fighting for the village she'd come to call home. Her paw found itself on the cat's side, pressing down, while her claws sank into its flesh, blood spilling out over its gray fur.

The cat's claws racked into her fur, cutting her flesh as she released it to hiss in pain. The cat took full advantage of the situation, its huge fangs instantly ripping into her shoulder. Roaring, Kagome slammed her head against the cats, listening as the male grunted in pain. She struck it again with her claws, nearly taking off one of its tails, while her own slapped against it. Almost as if the appendages were willing to try and help her defeat her opponent.

Flames erupted around the cat, causing Kagome to roar again. Her paw fell away from its side, listening to the sound of shifting wind as water drenched them both. The cat released her, suddenly turning its head toward the shinobi who'd used a water jutsu on them. She turned her head, her eyes narrowing when she saw the cat pounce. _Naruto…_ "Your fight is with this Kagome!" she roared, disappearing and slamming her paws against its back.

Once again the cat gave a pain filled cry, and Kagome felt sick pleasure at the sound of cracking bones. Her claws drew blood, her mouth opening to show her fangs. Vines erupted from the ground, each one striking out at the cat as a giant flower began to form. The cat was staring straight into it, trying to buck her off while she feed her energy to the flower. Watching it form, her mouth widened further, striking out at the cat's neck as the flower released a poison straight into its face. The vines grew up the walls of Konohagakure, purifying the air of the poison, leaving the humans to wonder what was happening. Immune to the attack, Kagome's fangs ripped into the neck of the other demon, twisting it violently to one side.

The cat gave one final screech, before its body slumped against the ground, convulsing at random moments. She shook her head, rearing it back to show her bloody fangs, and roared to the sky. Afterward she shook herself, listening to the calls that fell on deaf ears as Naruto stared up at her, watching as she shook again, the chakra filling the air once more. And within moments, though it had taken longer for the transformation, the Kagome he knew was standing in front of him, her smile lost in the background.

"Hokage-sama…" an ANBU asked. "Please, Hokage-sama…"

Turning to him, he began to bark out orders in his 'I am Hokage' voice. "You will make sure that the village is put back to order, before burning the body of the demon and putting it to rest. Do you have any other questions?"

"What about… the fox, sire?"

His eyes narrowed, sensing the glare the ANBU officer had turned upon Kagome. She flinched, slightly, and he noticed that even Sasuke seemed to be confused on how to treat her. She'd saved them, damn it. Couldn't they see that? He wasn't sure if he could have gotten rid of the demon, even with Gamabunta on his side. Yes, it was most likely weaker than Kyuubi had been, but he wasn't sure if he was as good a Hokage as the Yondaime, his father, had been. "You will leave her to me. You will treat her with the respect she deserves, for she protected us," he growled.

"But, Hokage-sama," the ANBU argued. "She is a demon. She could turn on us at any moment."

"Fool," Naruto barked, watching the officer flinch. "She has been here for longer than you have been an ANBU. If she wished to attack us, she would have done it when we relaxed our guard, not now. Not when she would not have the chance to surprise us. Right?" He looked to Kagome, hoping that what he'd said was true. If she'd been there simply to destroy Konohagakure, then he'd have to…

"Yes," she said. "I wish no harm to come to this village."

"See," Naruto grunted. "Now, get to work!"

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The ANBU, a male named Yoshi, snorted as he raced off. Their current Hokage was going to get them killed if he allowed demons to simply come in and live among them. He wouldn't turn a blind eye to that girl, he'd make sure that she was watched, and when she made a wrong move, he would be the one to slit her throat.

"I'll take care of the carcass, Naruto," Sasuke whispered next to his friend. He saw Naruto nod, and bowed his head. Turning to take a small look at Kagome, he frowned. A demon? That would take some getting used to if she decided to stay, but he knew from being around her that she was not the type to attack without reason. She would not harm them.

Kagome turned, ready to walk into the forest and never return. Only a single voice held her still, making her wonder why her heart began to pound more than usual.

"Where are you going, Kagome?"

"Away," she whispered.

Naruto frowned, instantly hating the word. "Why would you do that?" he asked.

"I am not welcome here any longer." She took a step away from him, telling herself that those words were true. There was no reason for her to stay, but then there was a hand on her wrist, stopping her from moving. The scent that filled her nose told her exactly who had grabbed her, though she was surprised with his speed for once.

"You're welcome here, Kagome," Naruto said. "I am Hokage. What I say is law, and I won't let anyone hurt you." His eyebrows creased together, his almost wild hair looking like it was beginning to droop downward. "You saved us, they'll see that in time and then everything will go back to normal."

She smiled, turning to look him in the eye. "You cannot make them be my friend, though, Naruto," she said. "Your word is law to them, yes. They will listen to anything you say, without going against it if they are loyal. However, even that can't change what is in their hearts. Your word isn't strong enough to take away all the pain and torment that demons have caused them over the years. You can't change the way they feel, and I am a demon, I can sense what people feel for me. Right now, Naruto, all I feel is hostility."

He tilted his head slightly to one side, "What do you feel from me then?"

"I don't think that will—"

"Tell me," he ordered. "Tell me what I feel toward you. Tell me and prove that everyone in this village hates you!"

"Naruto, that doesn't change the fact that—"

His eyes began to tear up, "Please don't go, Kagome!" He tightened his hold on her wrist, wondering why she was doing this. Why she was beginning to break his heart. "Please, don't make me regret beginning to have feelings for you…" he whispered.

She pulled her hand from his hold, taking another step from him. "Naruto, I can't stay here. I am—"

"I'm a demon vessel!" Naruto shouted, knowing that others were turning their heads away from stop from seeing their hero, their Hokage from being this way. "It doesn't matter what you are, you're still Kagome!"

"But I am a demon, Naruto!" she shouted back. "I am not a vessel to one, I **_am_ **a bijuu! I do not belong here!" She turned to run, when she heard him yell something that almost stopped her heart.

Naruto became desperate, his clouded eyes watching as she made ready to simply go away from him. To break him inside, and he wondered silently by Kyuubi wasn't bothering him about his weak emotions. However, the fox was silent, merely moving about inside its prison, gazing out through his eyes only a few times, and seeming to go to rest. "I-I… I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO!" he yelled. "Please, Kagome… I… I… I LOVE YOU!" And, knowing that Kyuubi was slightly influencing him, he yelled, "DON'T GO… BE MY MATE!"

A small smirk formed on his lips, tears beginning to fall from his eyes. He thought he was losing her; that she'd already run off, even though he'd confessed his feelings for her. Now, he felt not only like a selfish child, but a man who was falling apart on the inside. He'd grown accustomed to having her around; to sniffing at her whenever she wasn't looking; and simply enjoying her presence. He didn't want her to go, but he knew there was nothing more he could do…

Something touched his arm, and he found himself staring into her eyes.

"Naruto…?" she asked, her voice wavering. "What did you say?"

He opened his mouth, and then stopped, not sure how to. He felt his throat constrict on itself.

Tears began to fill her eyes, wishing that he hadn't just said that to make her stay, because she knew she would with false hope if it was lying. "Please," a tear fell from her eye, "tell me. Please."

Her voice was so desperate, and he knew that she was feeling what he'd felt. She didn't want his feeling to be untrue. She wanted to know that he did love her, and he smiled at her. His voice came back to him, and he whispered, "I love you, Kagome."

She smiled brightly, suddenly clinging herself to him. Her lips crushed against his own, shocking the Hokage, but she felt his arms wrap around her after a moment or so. Smiling again, she felt tears of joy burst from her eyes. Her father had told her that it was ok to cry, but never to do it in front of an enemy because it made the person look weak. She knew, though, that Naruto wouldn't care. She knew, because her heart told her so.

Pulling away from her, he rested his forehead against her own. "I love you," he whispered again. "I love you so much. Please don't go, Kagome." He felt her move her head next to his, rubbing her cheek against his, before beginning to whisper in his ear.

"You know what you asked me, correct?"

"Yes," he whispered. "I want you to be my mate, Kagome. I love you. Please?"

He felt her smile against his neck, and tightened his hold on her. He felt that even Kyuubi's breathing seemed to stop, as if holding it, waiting for the answer. His breath caught in his throat, feeling her lips graze across his skin. His whole body stiffened in lust, the demons influence he'd had throughout his life making it harder than ever to simply allow her to answer, instead of taking her without it. He didn't want that, though. He wanted her to be his mate, to be what he'd grown accustomed to calling what his life partner would be, since he knew it held more meaning than anything he'd ever heard. Kyuubi always made it sound very important, and he'd grown to use the word more and more thinking about it. Now, he knew it was the right choice of words.

Kagome smiled. "I'd like that." She touched her lips to his ear, softly saying, "Believe it."

Naruto smiled. Those were the first words he'd spoken in her presence. It was the one thing he'd always say when he was talking about becoming Hokage one day when younger. Now, he liked the sound of it even more. Softly, he replied, "Believe it."

And then, they didn't seem so far apart anymore.

_--Fin_


	26. Unsatisfied: Sohma Shigure

**Kiba's Note:** Now, I'm going to say this once, and once only. You have to pay attention to whether I use the manga version or the anime version of Fruits Basket. That is because there are some differences in certain characters, and if you want to know what it is, read this if you haven't read to manga 12, or 13. However, in the anime the person who's secret isn't revealed until one of those is different in sex. So, that person, who I will not mention for those who don't want to the spoiler, is a different gender in the anime compared to the manga. That is why my earlier Fruits Basket one-shots might have mentioned them being male. Alright? Alright.

* * *

_**Title:** Unsatisfied _

**_Summary:_**_ Meet Sohma Kagome, mysterious new member of the family who carries a dark secret on her shoulders. Older half-sister to Akito; born out of wedlock, the chance to be the head was ripped from her fingers. But she won't allow anything else to slip through her fingers._

**Pairing:** Shigure/Kagome

**Manga:** Fruits Basket/IY

* * *

There was a crash deep within the Main House of the Sohma Family. The sound of glass splitting apart as it most likely hit a floor or wall. The other occupants currently within hearing distance knew not to go searching for the noise, though, for Akito would have their heads if they entered one of the forbidden rooms. However, that didn't mean there wasn't an ounce of curiosity from the other Sohma members, who wondered what exactly was going on.

She turned her head, looking at the vase that had soared past her head and smashed against the wall. Her guarded eyes narrowed, knowing that that was most likely not the first one that Akito had broken. She gave an inward smirk, trying hard to keep it from her lips, knowing that Akito would most likely try to strangle her if she commented on it. Even if it would be amusing to find out how many Akito actually broke upon hearing that she was going to be coming for a visit.

Akito glared at the woman, wishing that she would suddenly fall into a pit of darkness and never return. However, Akito knew that that would not happen, no matter how much she wanted it. Growling, she hissed, "They're mine. They shall never leave me, no matter how many times you try to keep them for yourself."

Looking over at the other woman—though she knew that most, even most of the other Sohmas', thought she was a man—she huffed a little. "People have their own lives to live, Akito. You might believe that just because you're _considered_ the 'God' within the zodiac, the one that holds the animals together for the banquet, that they belong to you, but they do not. They are as rightfully mine as they are yours."

"I am the head," Akito screeched. Her hands clenched, her nails nearly drawing blood, as she gritted her teeth together. "You're nothing but a bastard who continues to make trouble. I want you out! Out!"

Smirking, she replied, "Do you actually think that I'll leave simply because you wish me to? We share the same father. I am the oldest, this place belongs more to me than it does to you. Just because you are the head means nothing to me. I have had everything that I've loved ripped away from me because of you, but I will not lose this. Not to you, Akito." She stood, smoothing out her kimono, before giving the other woman a distasteful glance. "But I pity you as well, Akito. You had a terrible mother."

Before she could retort, Akito began to cough. Her anger and hatred was still clear, but she continued to cough, knowing that her time was getting shorter and shorter each day. "Get," she coughed, "out…"

"No," the other replied. "I believe I shall stay for a while. Perhaps visit my favorite snake and tiger while I'm at it. Though, I can't promise you that I'll stay away from…" She left it hanging, watching as Akito coughed harder, still glaring at her.

Raising her voice, Akito reached for the nearest thing she could. "GET OUT! Get out and never return, bitch!" She threw the teacup that she'd managed to grab, hoping that it would slam against the head of the bitch in front of her. However, she gave an angry roar when the woman managed to sidestep it and smirked, before finally turning toward the door.

"It was a pleasure seeing you again, Akito." The woman stopped, looking back at the other woman, "I shall mourn your death when it befalls you, little sister."

"Do not call me that!"

"Shame," she said. "And here I was hoping that we could come to an understanding. After all, you might be the head, but my position out ranks yours. No matter how many times you tell yourself you are the thing that holds this family so tightly together, you never shall be. They shall never leave you, yes, for they do not know that, and I hope that makes you happy, Akito. However, I was chosen to be the one that holds this family together, while you were chosen to be head. You're not the God of this family, Akito… I am."

"GET OUT!" Akito began coughing once more, knowing that it would most likely attract the attention of Hatori. The dragon had to be somewhere within the house, but she was not sure where. However, she did not wish for anyone to hear the words that the other woman had just spoken. For no matter how many times she wished it wasn't true, that she was a bastard child that shouldn't have been given the position, it was true. She was the oldest, though born out of the wedlock, thus the key to the curse, while she, Akito, was merely the head. The reason her life was shortening was because her life force was being given to the current key, her own sibling, which was why she hated her.

Bowing mockingly, she said, "Yes, my Queen." Giving a short laugh, she gave Akito a small glance as she coughed again. Truly, she did not wish that Akito's life was shortened to make sure that she lived longer, but that was the way it was. There was nothing she could do, not unless she was able to find a way to break the curse. She hoped she found it soon, for she truly did not wish for Akito to die. She wanted her half-sibling to at least like her, but that would most likely never be the case.

Growling, Akito watched as she left. Bringing a hand up she saw that she'd managed to dig her nails in deep enough to begin drawing blood. Hissing through her teeth, she slammed her hand against the wall and spread the blood onto it. She wished it was not hers, but the other woman's. Her anger ebbed away when she realized she was truly alone once again, and a tear streaked down her face. "I hate you… Kagome."

* * *

There was a knock, which caused the eating foursome to wonder silently who it was. After all, it was raining outside, and this was terrible weather for anyone to be traveling in to reach their home. The only girl rose, saying, "I'll get it."

Shigure gently patted her hand, "No, no, allow me, Tohru-san. You've made this wonderful meal and it would be rude to make you do anything more this night. After all, this is one of the best meals I've had in quite a while!"

"Oh, oh," Tohru blushed. "That's… um… quite alright, Shigure-san. I'll get it, really!"

"No, no," Shigure smiled. "Allow me, my little flower!"

The two boys sitting close by stiffened, both of them turning dangerous glares' on their older cousin. Both were full of heat and they were ready to pound Shigure into the ground if he decided at that moment to say something perverted. _Stupid pervert_; ran through both their minds, while they subconsciously scooted closer to the girl between them.

"O-ok," Tohru stuttered, looking to the two boys sitting on either side of her for support. She was still blushing, wishing that Shigure didn't think that he needed to do these things for her. After all, she was living there with them, and all she did was cook and clean. She still didn't think that was really enough to stay with them, being so nice and all, but she found that she liked it. Especially with Kyo and Yuki to keep her company.

Shigure slid open the door, smiling brightly, "Good eve—"

"Shigure…" came a muffled yawn, before a cloaked person fell into the dog's arms. They all jumped, slightly surprised by the appearance of the person, while Shigure gently shifted them. His hands stilled for only a moment, feeling something quite feminine pressing up against him, when Hatori stepped into his view.

"Hatori-san," Tohru blinked. She smiled, "This is certainly unexpected." She turned to look at the table, and stiffened. "Oh! I'll need to make some more if you're going to stay—"

Hatori raised his hand to silence her, the dragon looking down at the cloaked person in Shigure's arms. The dog looked confused and most likely leering at the woman he'd been ordered to drive there. Ordered to get out of the Main House at any cost. To take her wherever she wished to go as long as she wasn't within the Main House any longer. "I shall be leaving shortly. I was merely supposed to bring her here," he motioned to the person Shigure was holding up. "She was complaining along the way that she was not able to sleep, but I am rather curious as to why that's changed now."

"S-she?" the others asked, looking at the way Shigure's arms were wrapped around the woman. He hadn't transformed, though, so that was probably a good thing.

"Yes," Hatori stated. "Now, I must be off. Akito is expecting me back at the Main House."

Shigure nodded, "Ah… yes, best not keep Akito waiting!"

"Hm."

Shigure looked down at the cloaked _woman_ in his arms, smiling. Perhaps it was Rin? She was tall enough to be Rin, though the horse usually would have simply come to see him, instead of playing all mysterious like with him. Though it could be simply someone that had dressed up like a woman and come to trick them. He doubted that, though, especially with the things that were pressing up against him so delightfully.

"Perhaps you should think about putting her down, Shigure," Yuki said, sipping once again at his tea. Afterward he went back to eating, deciding that almost everything going on around him was not of importance.

"Yeah, ya damn pervert," Kyo snorted, adding his own opinion.

"Now, really," Shigure sniffled, "that is so mean."

"And true," they glared, turning their attention back to him.

Kyo narrowed his eyes, turning to Yuki. "Damn rat."

Yuki, returning the glare from the corner of his eye, hissed, "Stupid cat."

"Whadda say?" Growling, Kyo rose from his seat, "You wanna take this outside, ya damn rat? Come on, the faster we go, the sooner I can beat your ass into the pavement."

"That, I doubt," Yuki replied.

Tohru sighed, quickly raising her hands to try and intervene, completely ignoring Shigure and their new guest. "Please, don't fight!" She waved her hands to try and make them take notice of her; hopefully stop fighting at the dinner table, too. However, she had a feeling that they weren't going to pay attention to anything she actually said. Besides, it was raining outside and they could catch a cold from staying out to long.

Shigure, eyeing each of them, brought the woman in his arms toward the table, before laying her down gently. He would find out her secret… and maybe a few others along the way. Grinning, he pulled down her hood, and nearly jumped. "Kagome-sama!" he gasped, catching the attention of the others.

"Who, Shigure-san?" Tohru asked. She moved to look at the woman lying at Shigure's feet. She moaned a little, rolled over and grabbed onto Shigure's robes as if to pull him in. Tohru smiled brightly at the pretty woman, a small gasp coming from her lips. The woman was beautiful! Especially with all that long black hair, which Tohru thought just from looking was probably very soft.

"Kagome-sama," Shigure repeated, bringing his hand up to clasp his chin between his fingers. Smiling, he said, "Ah, I remember the day when Kagome-sama and I got—"

"Shut up, pervert," Kyo growled, rearing his hand back to hit him again.

"I was going to say into trouble at the Main House," Shigure mumbled, "but if you insist. I could tell you about the time that Kagome-sama raided Hatori's room." He paused for a moment, "And Aya's, and mine, and… and… everyone elses within the general area."

"No one wants to hear it, idiot." Kyo crossed his arms, glaring down at the grinning dog. He wasn't up for another one of his stupid stories. Especially not when Tohru had cooked him his favorite food and these idiots were pulling him away from it.

Yuki tilted his head, "Why do you call her 'Kagome-_sama_', Shigure?"

Shigure became very serious within a matter of moments. "Because it is respectful to the daughter of the last head, Yuki-kun."

Each one of them snapped their heads up, "WHAT!?!"

"Yes," Shigure continued. "Kagome-sama is the daughter of the Sohma Family's last head."

Yuki blinked several times, "But… but I thought Akito was an only child."

"Well, yes, it is told that way," Shigure nodded. "However, Kagome-sama is Akito's older half-sister."

Kyo placed himself onto the ground next to her, "Wait. If she's the _older_ sister to that fucking Akito, then why isn't she the head?"

Shigure tilted his head to look at her peaceful expression. "Kagome-sama was born out of wedlock." Knowing that he had their full attention, he decided to continue. "She is almost a year older than Akito, so technically she should be the head by birthright. However, because their father had been married when he met Kagome-sama's mother, and created sweet, sweet Kagome-sama, she was never given the choice of being the head. Akito's mother demanded that Akito be placed as the head because Akito was the only legal child they had, and because they were married." Frowning, he added, "But that does not mean that Kagome-sama isn't given some of the same privileges that the head is given. She is allowed to stop Akito if she feels that Akito is not treating a member of the family properly. However, Akito does not listen to her often… so, it is basically pointless."

"So this chick is a Sohma?" Kyo asked.

Yuki rolled his eyes; "Of course she is a Sohma if she's related to Akito, you stupid cat."

"Why you…" Kyo tensed. "I'm gonna… you're so going to… _Grr_."

"If you cannot form a full sentence at this age, I suggest you return to preschool," Yuki shot back. "They might be more within your intelligence range."

Tohru frowned. "I don't understand, Shigure-san. If Kagome-sama was born first, even out of wedlock, shouldn't she be the 'God' in the zodiac, the one that calls them all to the banquet each year? I know that there might be something I'm missing, but… it doesn't seem _right_. Akito is going to die an early life, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, why was that handed down to Akito, but not Kagome-sama?" Tohru asked. "They have the same father, the last head, yet Akito is the one that was chose to die early and pick the next head. It does not seem," she frowned, not able to come up with a better word, "_right_."

Shigure nodded, "No, it does not, does it? However, that is yet another mystery to the Sohma Family that will most likely be locked away in the hearts of only those who are chosen to be the head. After all, we were not chosen to take on the animal spirits we possess; yet they were given to us. It could be the same with Akito."

"I suppose," Tohru said, frowning lightly. She turned to see that the boys were continuing to fight and was about to go confront them, when she felt a tug at her clothing. Looking down she jumped seeing that a pair of dark blue eyes staring into her own.

"Konbanwa," the woman said. "You must be Honda Tohru-san, I have heard much about you from those around the Main House. Nothing good from Akito, though."

"Ah… Konbanwa," Tohru bowed her head, "Kagome-sama."

She smiled, "You do not need to call me that, Tohru-san. After all, I even try to make the Sohma members stop calling me that. Alas, they do not listen very well. Well, except Ayame, but I doubt he rarely ever truly hears what I tell him. A little dramatic every second of the day, you know?"

Tohru smiled, "Uh huh."

"I want attention, too, Kagome-sama!" Shigure pouted.

She ignored him, turning to the bickering pair not fair off. "You two must be Yuki and Kyo. I haven't seen you since you were very small. Amazing what the years do to you, though I think they've done quite well considering you're now two handsome young men."

Kyo blushed, turning his head away.

Yuki blinked, a light blush powdering his own cheeks as well.

"Kagome-sama!"

Sighing, she turned to the dog. "Konbanwa, Shigure. You did not think I forgot about my favorite dog, did you?"

He smiled. "No, no, of course not, Kagome-sama."

Kyo and Yuki snickered, though they wouldn't admit that they were thinking the same thing. Shigure was acting like a puppy yearning for attention from its owner. Not a dog at all, a puppy. A cute little puppy that couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from her breas…

Kagome slapped him, "Stop leering at me, baka. I haven't been back more than a few hours and already you're trying to sneak a peek."

"You wound me, Kagome-sama," Shigure smiled, rubbing his new wound. Oh, how he'd missed that sting. Turning rather serious once again, he asked, "Have you been to see Akito, yet?"

"Unfortunately, I have had a run in with my…" she stopped, looking at Tohru, "_brother_—"

"Honda-san is aware that Akito is not a male, Kagome-sama," Yuki spoke up.

"Oh!" Kagome smiled. "Good. I hate calling her a 'him' all the time. Terrible mother she had. Hated her, you know. Now, my mother. Kind, sweet, always pampering me like one should pamper their children. Akito's life was _horrible_. I feel for her, _sometimes_."

Kyo smiled, "I like this chick."

"Please, refrain from calling me 'chick' in the future, Kyo-kun," Kagome smiled. "You make me feel like a chick that's looking for its mother hen on the farm."

His smile widened, "Whatever. Hey, why was it you couldn't be the head, again?"

"I don't remember telling you—"

"Yeah, yeah," Kyo waved. "Now, tell me, why is it that that fucking Akito is the head and you're not? Really, if you were the head, I probably wouldn't have to go through every day like I was going to be locked up within the next ten seconds."

"Oh, yes. You're the cat, are you not?" Seeing him nod, she smiled. "Yes, I rather think it is terrible what happens to the cat. However, it is Akito's decision in the end. She is the head, after all."

"Yeah, back to my question," Kyo said.

She sighed, "Because I am _Higurashi_-Sohma Kagome. I am a bastard child, as Akito is rather fond of calling me."

Yuki frowned deeply, "Yes, she has a rather interesting nickname for everyone she does not like, does she not?"

"Oh, yes," Kagome nodded. "When we were younger Akito was always hanging on my arm, calling me 'nee-chan' when I visited the Main House. Then, at the age of three, perhaps four, Akito changed. Began to distance herself from me, and within a few years, Akito began calling me 'mutt'. Then 'whore', and then 'ogre', and then 'bitch', and then… I don't remember them all. Now she merely calls me whatever she can think of at the moment. Like early, when she threw a vase at my head."

Tohru gasped, "Akito threw a… a… a vase at you…!"

"Yes." Kagome raised an eyebrow. "You shouldn't sound so surprised, really. I'm sure that Akito has already harmed you once or twice, or at least tried to. After all, she is not the nicest person when she thinks things are going to be taken away from her. Besides, I'm sure that she threw a lot more of them once she heard that I was returning to the Main House."

Shigure butted in, grabbing hold of Kagome's hand. "That reminds me, Kagome-sama. Why is it that you have been gone for so long? I was beginning to get worried you were cheating on me."

She smiled, "I'd never cheat on you, Shigure. Or Ayame and Hatori! So, technically, if we got into a relationship, I'd be cheating on them… so, you're outta luck."

Seeing him withdraw, she smiled again, shaking her head. "But you did ask, so I'll tell you. I was looking for a way to break the curse. I might not have gotten a spirit of my own, but that doesn't mean I'm not apart of this family. I have Sohma blood, too! And it is my job to find a way to break the curse before Akito dies, even if she does hate me." She frowned, "I-I don't want to see her die."

Shigure patted her hand. "It is alright, Kagome-sama. I'm sure that if you were able to find a way to break the curse, then Akito would not try to push you away so hard."

"Maybe," she mumbled. She smiled at Shigure, forgetting all about the three teenagers who were also standing in the room. "But, then again, if I break the curse, you'd probably go around _hugging_ as many girls as you could."

"Now, Kagome-sama, you know I would not hurt your trust like that!" Shigure whimpered.

"Right…" she said, rolling her eyes again.

Kyo scowled, "Hey, you two got something going on between you or somethin'? Cause that's startin' to creep me out, ya know."

Kagome smiled, "Forgive me, Kyo-kun. I have not seen Shigure in quite some time; it is only natural that I would wish to tease him. After all, the last time I got to was when—" She grinned behind the hand that was quickly placed over her mouth, looking at the sweating Shigure from the corner of her eye.

Shigure chuckled nervously, "Ah. I don't think that's appropriate for the children, Kagome-sama."

She tugged his hand away, "So, you don't want me to tell them about that stack of po—"

"Yes, yes," Shigure waved his hands. "They definitely don't need to know about that, Kagome-sama. Best we leave the past in the past, you know."

Yuki smiled, "I think I'd rather like to know what you were going to say, Kagome-sama."

Shigure paled.

Kyo grinned, "Yeah, I think I'd like to know, too. After all, there's got to be some dirt that I haven't found on that stupid mutt. It'd be good to have some new material to throw in his face once in a while."

"Now, see here, Kyo-kun," Shigure snorted. "You do not have anything on me."

Kyo gave a cat-like grin. "Really? How 'bout that time that I caught you wearing one of Ayame's dr—"

Shigure laughed in order to drown out the rest of what Kyo was going to say. Turning to Kagome, he gave her his best puppy dog pout, and stared at her for a few moments. A grin broke out when she blushed, averted her gaze, and mumbled that she wouldn't tell them.

Tohru blinked. "I have a question, Kagome-san."

Turning her attention away from the now bickering males, Kagome focused her eyes on Tohru. "Go ahead and ask your question, Tohru-san. You should not have to ask permission to ask a question when it comes to myself. I am willing to answer anything as long as I am able, or allowed."

Tohru smiled, "I… I was wondering why you don't want Akito to die? You said yourself that Akito hates you, yet… you don't want to see her die. Why?"

Yuki nodded, "That is a very good question, Honda-san. I would like to know myself."

Kagome tilted her head to the side, smiling a bit. "I do not wish to see Akito die, because I love her. Yes, Akito is not fond of me, and was taught by her mother to despise me, but that does not mean that she is not family. I used to adore Akito when I was younger, and I had hoped that as we grew up we'd be able to live together in the Main House and make the Sohma Family better. To right the wrongs that have taken place inside, and hopefully find a way to break the curse once it was decided Akito would be the head, thus having a shorter lifespan. However, Akito's mother thought that a boy was needed to be head, and raised Akito that way, along with teaching her to hate me. My dreams were crushed the moment Akito first glared at me and said, '_No one wants you here, mutt. Why don't you go back to the place you came from._' I remember it perfectly, for it still hurts." She frowned a little, "I hope that one day I might be able to change Akito's mind and make her love me once more."

Tohru teared up, nodding in understanding. "Akito is not the nicest person I have met, nor is she one that I would wish to stay around, but I do not think she should deserve to die. She should not have to die simply because she was chosen to be the head."

Kyo huffed, "Tch."

Shigure stared at Kagome, watching as she turned to smile at him. Smiling in return, he reached out to pat her hand. Kagome was a very special woman, even if she disappeared from time to time. She touched the hearts of many, much like Tohru did, but with a larger heart and a bit more darkness than she needed. That came with being a Sohma, or having Sohma blood, though. There was nothing he could do except hope to comfort her.

Yuki blinked. He shuddered at past memories, and turned his attention away. Sipping from his tea again, he told himself he did not need to get into this conversation. Already he could feel memories of how Akito had treated him acting up, and he didn't want to remember it. Not here, and not when he was in such peace, even with the shadow Akito cast chasing after him every step of the way.

Tohru brightened a little, "I have another question, Kagome-san." Seeing the woman nod, she asked, "What are you in the zodiac? You were born, even out of wedlock, before Akito, shouldn't you be…" She trailed off at the dark look that crossed Kagome's face. Turning her face toward the ground, she mumbled, "I'm sorry, Kagome-san. I did not mean to… to… offend you."

"No, it is alright," Kagome said, noticing the dark looks she got from Yuki and Kyo. She had not expected them to think of that. She was not allowed to say, though. "However, there are many things about the Sohma Family that I am not allowed to utter. They were taught to me because I was the daughter to the head, even if only half-Sohma. That is a secret that must be kept a secret, for only Akito is allowed to give me permission to tell. Since I am not head, I am not allowed to give away secrets, I am sorry."

"Can I ask why it is a secret, Kagome-sama?" Yuki asked. "From the rest of the family?"

"You may." Kagome bit her lip, "I would like you to rephrase the question, though. That is too vague and I'd afraid I might be up half the night trying to explain it to you. Don't you have school in the morning, or something?"

"Yes, they do, Kagome-sama," Shigure said.

"See," Kagome smiled. "I knew I was right."

"Of course you did, Kagome-sama."

"Shut up, Shigure."

"Yes, Kagome-sama."

"I mean it, Shigure."

Yuki coughed, watching as Kagome's attention was turned back to him. She was grinning sheepishly, but he turned his attention back down to his tea to try and determine how to ask it. "Why are you not allowed to say if you are apart of the zodiac or not? Why is that a secret?"

She smiled, "That's better. That's a secret because Akito has laid down the law, and ordered that I do not tell a soul. I am only to speak of it in her presence, and hers alone. Though, I do rather like to mock her about it at times." She smirked playfully, knowing that they were wondering why she'd like to mock Akito with the knowledge. "Do not ask," she said, "I cannot tell you."

Kyo snorted, "That's fucking stupid. You can't say anything simply because that stupid Akito told you, you can't. I'd do it anyway."

She shook her head. "If I find a way to break the curse, Kyo-kun, but I had been giving away secrets before then, do you think Akito would come to tolerate me? Right now Akito would rather strangle me then have anything to do with me. I'd rather not have her hate me if the curse is ever lifted, for then everything I've worked so hard for would also crumble through my fingertips."

"I still don't see why you want that bitch to like you, anyway," Kyo growled.

"She is my sibling, Kyo-kun."

"So?" Kyo asked. "She still treats you like nothing but dirt. Akito doesn't fucking deserve anything anyone could give her. She deserved the death that will come to her in the next couple of years and you know what?" He ignored the glare that Kagome had settled upon him. "I'll be happy when that bitch finally croaks. It means that I'll be able to at least relax once in a while."

Kagome rose, towering over the cat. She noticed the way he turned his attention up to her and then backed away quickly at her dark expression. "Akito has done many bad things, Kyo, yes. However, that is not a reason to wish _death_ upon her. She does not deserve to die." _I do._ "Akito, at every turn, is trying to harm me, but I do not care. Akito is my younger sister, and as such I shall protect her. Whether it is from death, or from youngsters like you who wish to speak this way of her behind her back. She might hate me," _for more reasons than you can understand,_ "but even I would not condemn death upon her."

Shigure stood, "Perhaps we should go to my room, Kagome-sama? You seem rather tired."

She smiled, "Yes, I believe that would do me some good. Thank you, Shigure." She giggled, "Please, lead the way."

Kyo sat stiffly, watching her as she walked off after the perverted dog. Narrowing his eyes, he wondered why she'd suddenly defended that stupid Akito. However, he growled when she stopped in the doorway and turned back to them. There was something going on, and he wanted to know what it was.

"There are many things in life that I have not been able to do," she whispered just loud enough for them to hear. "I have been unsatisfied for most of my life, but I wish to do this. Not for just Akito, and the chance to have the little sister I had loved back, but for all the Sohma's. For the family I have and love. I hope you will all understand that one day, for your decisions might be harder than mine have been." With that, Kagome turned and walked into the room that Shigure had entered. She left the three teenagers to their thoughts, each one of them confused, but she did not care.

She would not fail. She would find a way to break the curse and save Akito, but there was something else she wanted as well.

Yuki frowned, "She certainly was interesting."

"Tch." Kyo blinked. "Such a stupid woman, wanting to save Akito."

"She wants to save us all, not just Akito," Yuki shook his head. "Were you not paying any attention, you stupid cat? She wishes to save Akito because of her shortened lifespan as head, yes, but she also wants to break the curse. Saving her sibling is her main goal, but in doing so she will save us all."

"Not like I care," Kyo grumbled. "Stupid rat."

Tohru smiled, "Well, I liked her."

"Of course you did," Kyo snorted. "You like anyone that happens to be in the same room as you."

Tohru blushed. "T-that's not true, Kyo-san."

"Like hell it isn't."

"Stop being rude to Honda-san," Yuki hissed.

"Make me, ya damn rat," Kyo replied.

Shigure poked his head out. "Will you children please quiet down? I am trying to enjoy the pleasant company Kagome-sama is giving me."

"Shigure," came a growled voice, "don't you dare try to make them think we're doing something perverted."

Laughing, Shigure looked back inside the room, "I wouldn't think of it, Kagome-sama."

Kagome smiled evilly, pulling the dog back into the room. "Please excuse him, children. He is a real pain sometimes, but I think I can straighten him out."

The blinked, watching as the door slide close once more. After a short while they heard Shigure's cries for Kagome to stop, and to have mercy on him. Shaking their heads, they returned to their meal, not quite sure what exactly was happening between the dog and this new woman.

Inside the room, Kagome grinned at her work, looking down at the tied up Shigure. His hair was now braided the best it could be, and she had managed to pull out the make-up she always carried within a pocket inside her cloak and put it on him. She smiled at the pouting dog, touching his face gently, watching as his eyes softened on her. "Its good to see you again, Shigure," she said.

Shigure grinned, "Yes, it is good to see you again as well, Kagome-sama. _All_ of you."

Frowning, she debated whether she should hit him or not. "I was going to hit you, but I think I'll save it for later."

"Ah, Kagome-sama, you are far to kind."

"I know," she said. "I know."

Her eyes softened a bit as she asked him what he'd been doing all this time without her. The tiny piece of her that was always unsatisfied was pushed down enough that she couldn't even feel it within the presence of the dog. She'd never tell him that, though. He was her favorite, but not because he was the dog. Sighing to herself, she wondered what Akito would think if she did managed to keep Shigure from her for the rest of her life, if she died. Her sister would surely throw a fit, but she wasn't going to allow Akito to take Shigure from her.

He was her happiness.

One of the things that allowed her to be satisfied after so long—even when everything else left her unsatisfied.

"Kagome-sama, are you paying attention to me?" Shigure pouted.

"Huh?" She blinked. "Oh! Yes, yes, I am, Shigure."

He smiled, "Good. Because I doubt there is anything as handsome as myself that could keep your attention for long, Kagome-sama." He grinned playfully.

Shaking her head at him, she silently said, _you might be right_. She wouldn't tell him that either.

_--Fin _


	27. Strength: Hitsugaya Toshiro

_**Title:** Strength_

_**Summary:** She wasn't considered a real Shinigami, for she'd been orphaned, and her Shinigami abilities didn't begin to show until a later age then most. Still, Hitsugaya Toshiro was someone she secretly leaned on for strength, and she reacted when she saw that orange-haired punk actually manage to knock him down._

**Pairing:** Toshiro/Kagome

**Anime:** Bleach/IY

* * *

Ichigo grinned when the white-haired kid hit the ground, rolling. He raised the Zangetsu; ready to hit the kid, even though he tried to say he was one the taichou of one of the Shinigami squads. If he were, he'd be glad to have another one out of the way, since he was going to save Rukia, even at the cost of his life. He was kind of surprise, since if this kid was a squad leader, then why had he gone down so easily? They'd been going at it for quite some time, exchanging blow for blow, but finally he'd gotten the upper hand on him, and now he'd make sure that he stayed nice and quiet until he was so far away it'd be too hard to track him and the others.

Her eyes widened, seeing the Zanpakuto coming down toward Hitsugaya Toshiro's head. She wasn't sure whether or not this strange Shinigami that she'd never seen before was going to kill the taichou of the 10th Division or merely slam his head into the ground in order to knock him unconscious. Before she could stop herself, she moved, her speed giving her an advantage as she moved toward them. She would not allow anyone to hurt Hitsugaya while she was around, for he did not treat her like the other Shinigami.

"Ichigo!"

"Huh?" Ichigo replied, looking up. His concentration slipped for a moment, and then he watched as the kid turned his face back toward him, scowling but accepting to whatever he did to him. Tightening his grip, Ichigo swung his Zanpakuto like a bat, and nearly hit the kid in the side of the head when two hands gripped the blade of his weapon, pushing it back. "What the…?" Where did all these kids keep coming from?

Toshiro narrowed his eyes. He didn't move from his position, trying to see through the dirt that had risen into the air around them. When it cleared, he was looking at the ground and saw a small puddle of blood pooling at the other Death God's feet. Looking up, he allowed a bit of his surprise to show on his face, taking in the form of Kagome, another Shinigami who'd been orphaned just inside the gate. When found she couldn't have been more than five weeks old, from what the rumor said, and though it was very long ago, the Soul Society considered her, like him, very young. However, she was unpredictable. They would not have even thought she was a Shinigami, except for the fact that her red spirit ribbons were a dead give away, and her power had simply matured at a later age then most.

Orihime gasped. "Ichigo, you're hurting her!"

Gritting his teeth, he pushed down a bit, though he did hear Orihime's concern for the Shinigami holding onto his Zangetsu. She surprised him, for even though she was a few inches taller than the other kid; she was stronger than he'd expected her to be. She pushed back as soon as he began to push, and though her palms were being cut, she continued to hold up against him. She didn't even look like she was using all her strength. "What the hell are you doing, kid? This is between me and him, got it?" Ichigo growled, trying to pull away. He was surprised to find that she latched her hands onto his blade, and managed to hold it there.

"I will not allow you to harm Hitsugaya-taichou," she growled. "You're the one who is trespassing here, not I, so I would not be telling me how to do things." She glanced at the blade between her hands, "You may have the powers of a Shinigami, but can you use them?"

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo asked.

"Exactly what I said," she replied.

Ichigo pushed against her again, watching as she slid a bit backwards toward the other kid, this Hitsugaya-taichou as she called him. In fact, he remembered hearing his name. Hitsugaya Toshiro. "Then try to stay on one subject next time, kid," he said.

Toshiro rose from the ground, and reached out for his own Zanpakuto. "Stand down, Kagome," he said.

Her eyes shifted toward him, and then she looked back toward the orange-haired male in front of her. He'd nearly hurt Toshiro; she would not allow that to go unpunished. "I can't do that, I'm sorry," she replied. She allowed one hand to leave the blade of the Zanpakuto in her hands, and grabbed it at a different angle, before pushing against the blade, in both directions with both hands at the same time. It twisted out of the strange Shinigami's hands, and she flipped it, grabbing the hilt, before slamming it into the ground. "I am not apart of one of the squads, and though you're a taichou, I refuse to obey that order, Hitsugaya-taichou."

"Kagome." Toshiro watched her, sheathing his sword as he did so. She was correct, though he did have the rank of taichou; she had never been placed upon a Squad because of her late maturity. She was free to do as she pleased, no matter how many time he told her to do as he said. The Soul Society and her adoptive family would most likely punish her later on, though the punishment would not be harsh, as she was technically protecting him.

Ichigo jumped backward, and looked back to find that Uryuu, Chad, Orihime, and that stupid cat had merely gone back to watching him. He scowled, and then turned his attention back to the two Shinigami in front of him. They had turned toward each other, and seemed to have a silent agreement passing between their eyes, though there was something in the girl's that was kind of strange. The boy was serious and stood his ground, facing him as if he'd come to the girl's rescue should she need him, but he doubted he'd do that. The battle was now between him and the girl, and until the girl fell, the boy would most likely stand back and watch it all happen. Yeah, he really liked the way these Reapers treated one another—especially with what they planned to do to Rukia.

He looked to his Zanpakuto, before turning his attention back to the girl who'd turned toward him. She was strong, that was for sure, since she'd managed to get the Zangetsu into the ground almost to the hilt. With no guard, it would have looked like a stick poking out of the ground if she'd pushed it in far enough. He wondered if he'd be able to get it out before she actually attacked him, since it was clear these Shinigami wanted to capture them and make sure they didn't return. The girl, though, seemed different, she seemed to merely wish to help her friend, boyfriend, or whatever the kid was to her.

Watching her, he saw her hand come down and grip the hilt on her side, and pulled her katana from its sheath. He started to laugh when he saw it, nearly leaning over in order grip his sides. Placing his hand on his knee, he looked at the Zanpakuto the girl possessed, since it usually reflected the power of a Shinigami, and hers looked barely over a foot long. "You expect to fight me with that thing?" he laughed.

She scowled. "Do not mock me, boy," she growled. "My Zanpakuto may look like it will deal nothing more than a cut, but you should learn that size does not matter. Here in the Soul Society Shinigami age differently than humans, and it is only right that my Zanpakuto has not reached full maturity, since I have yet to as well."

"Have you looked at that thing!" he chuckled loudly.

She glared at him. She turned her head in order to look at Hitsugaya, and saw him nod. Her glare intensified when she looked back at the orange-head, and she gripped the hilt of her Zanpakuto with both hands, even though it did not seem large enough to fit them. "Come forth, _Shikon_!" she yelled.

Ichigo's laughing stopped instantly, his eyes widening when he felt her spirit energy spike. His eyes caught sight of her Zanpakuto, watching as it changed from its original form. It lengthened greatly, so much that it had to be six to eight inches taller than she was, which made it taller than the other kid as well. The guard disappeared, and the metal changed so that it was black, only the sharpened _ends_ keeping the original silver color. Both sides were now blades, and it resembled a thin halberd, except for the piece on the very end, which shot out like the end of a scythe. It looked sharp enough to split him in half, and she was pointing it at him, holding the hilt with both hands, while it lay horizontally above the ground.

"I told you not to underestimate me simply because my Zanpakuto's first stage is small in length." She twisted her blade, allowing the sharp end that curved out from the straight blade to dig into the ground, easily cutting through mostly everything around it. "Things can be deceiving at first, and it seems that you may need a lesson in that department."

"Ichigo," he heard, though he wasn't sure who'd said it, "you can't fight that girl! Do you understand me, stand down!" Even if he wanted to listen to that order, he watched as the girl suddenly disappeared, her huge blade in tow. He watched Toshiro, seeing the boy merely stand there with a slight frown on his face, and wondered what he was thinking about. Besides, Ichigo needed to get his weapon back, and he had no idea where the girl was going to reappear at.

"Ichigo, above you!" Uryuu yelled.

Turning his head up, he saw the blade coming down toward him. He knew he was stronger, but he wasn't sure if he'd be able to deflect the blade with his mere hands like she'd done with his. Thinking quickly, Ichigo moved from his place, and felt heat pulse into the air from the place he'd originally been as the girl hit the ground, her impact making a loud boom. Glancing back, not wanting to take his eyes off her, he noticed that her blade seemed to be licked with flames, and she easily placed both hands on the hilt and pulled it from the ground, even when most of the blade and the scythe-like end was lodged quite deeply.

She moved again, keeping the blade horizontal to the ground. Her footwork was quick, and she looked like she was disappearing and reappearing every so often. Ichigo tried to keep watch of her with his eyes, before decided that was going to get him nowhere. This girl was serious, and though he knew she was there, he couldn't pinpoint her location, which made her dangerous. Hearing a slight noise, almost too quiet to pick up, Ichigo rolled to the right, and felt the tip of the scythe graze his arm, flames instantly taking to the Shinigami clothing he wore. He managed to put them out quickly, and then moved again in order to stay out of her attack range, trying to move himself closer to his Zanpakuto. With it, at least he had a decent chance of not being knocked around so much, especially since he hated being on the defensive.

Toshiro's frown deepened, knowing that Kagome was simply playing with her opponent. He'd known her most of his life, and he was surprised now that they hadn't placed her onto a squad. He hadn't seen her fight for a while, but he wasn't aware that she'd mastered the second stage of her Zanpakuto—which made him wonder if she knew how to use the third and final stage, which would mean she'd reached the level that only taichou were able to reach, and she wasn't one. She wasn't even on a squad! Whoever had given the order to keep her off a squad simply because she'd matured late and didn't know her true heritage was a fool.

"Ichigo—"

"He's not going to listen to you, you might as well stop trying to gain his attention," Chad commented.

"But—"

Orihime nodded in agreement. "He's right."

Uryuu frowned, readjusting his glasses. "This is not good, though. Who would have thought we'd meet someone this powerful when we haven't even managed to make it four hundred feet from the gate." He straightened, tugging a bit at his cape in order to make sure it wasn't to loose. "Who is that girl, anyway?"

"Someone I had hoped we would not meet this close to the gate," they each glanced down at the black cat staring at the fight. "Her name is Higurashi Kagome, she was adopted by the Higurashi Family when she was found just inside the gate at the tender age of five to six weeks old. She'd been left there for dead, but she'd been found by Ichimaru Gin, and taken in when they saw that she did indeed have the red spirit ribbons of a Shinigami. Later the Higurashi Family, who thought that she might have great potential when she was older, adopted her. However, even though she did appear to have a great amount of spiritual energy, she was not able to even call upon her Shinigami powers until she was much older than most children. When she did manage it, others made fun of her simply because her Zanpakuto's first stage was so small in appearance, and because of her late maturity and her increase in spiritual energy when she reached the appearance of a ten-year-old human, they decided that they would watch her for any other strange happenings. Because of this she was not allowed to be placed onto a squad, but throughout the years she has gained a high reputation for being a true Death _God_, especially once she mastered the second stage of her Zanpakuto. Some say that if she ever manages to master the final stage that she will be taken over by darkness and they will have to destroy her, for though she shows great promise, they believe she may become stronger than any Shinigami in history and she will be ruled by her lust for power. They believe that should she master the final stage, she will kill everyone and everything from here to the Human Realm."

"That's terrible," Orihime gasp.

Uryuu nodded. "I must agree. Surely they can't believe she's an actual God simply because her Zanpakuto resembles the scythe most humans believe the Grim Reaper would wield?"

"I do not know for sure, but I have heard that she'd become quite powerful since she mastered the second stage. Her Zanpakuto, Shikon, is also said to be a mystery to most Shinigami, for it should take on the size and length that would resemble her spiritual energy. It _should_ be either the size of Zangetsu or larger in its first stage, yet as you saw, it is quite small, and if it _is_ maturing with her, as she believes it is, then that means there is much that could be learned from her. For from what they say, this has never happened." He stopped for a moment. "This girl holds great strength, and is only called upon when they wish for a job done quickly, and that is rarely ever the case, for most other Shinigami are able to do the job nicely without needing her strange power."

"I see," Uryuu said, "she's a phenomenon of the Soul Society."

"Yes, you could say that."

Ichigo smirked, once again rolling out of the way. For a moment he could have sworn he saw a figure similar to Zangetsu standing on the tip of the girl's Zanpakuto, only in the figure of a woman, but shook it away. He was getting closer and closer to his Zanpakuto, and he was positive that within a few moments he'd be able to roll over to it and pull it straight out of the ground. Watching her blade, he dodged out of the way, and felt the tip of the scythe slice into his chest, leaving a wound that began to sting almost instantly afterward. He gritted his teeth, he moved as quickly as he could.

Her grip tightened on her weapon, and she moved as she saw the boy's intention.

Toshiro stepped forward, his hand reaching up to grasp the hilt of his own Zanpakuto. He wished that Kagome would stop playing around like a child and would finish this quickly, for he knew that she could. He'd been listening to the strange cat and the others that came with this Ichigo, and knew that those rumors were correct. Kagome was a phenomenon, for no one was sure exactly how much more power she would gain before she matured completely. However, he was also angry at the fact that he knew it was true that they'd kill her if she did go insane when she truly did mature. She was a nice person, even if she did not know her true strength, and he hated it that they would kill her simply because they did not understand her.

Ichigo stopped when he saw her dark figure appear on top of the hilt of his Zanpakuto, her blade pointed at him once more. She was only holding it in one hand now, but he had no doubt in his mind that she could wield it with the same amount of accuracy and force that she had before. The sun was going down, though, and the wind had picked up, and it looked like a dark creature from pictures of Hell had suddenly stepped out into the world for his soul. Flames licked her blade still, though they were beginning to die down, and he wondered if that was because she was getting tired or if she was simply saving her energy.

"You will not take another step," Kagome frowned. "I will not allow you to come closer to Hitsugaya-taichou."

Ichigo's mouth fell open. "All this time and you've simply been keeping me away from him!"

"I do not wish to hurt you," Kagome said. "However, you raised your blade to my friend, to someone that does not shun me simply because I hold a hidden power that has not been unlocked yet. For that, I will not allow you to go away unpunished."

Toshiro lowered his eyes, allowing them to close for a moment. She was not even thinking about herself, she was once again thinking of him. Though he had not seen her in some time, she'd defended him the last time they had met as well. Kagome could act childish, much to his annoyance whenever she was in his presence, but at almost all times she was alert and serious, taking things in and determining threats or not. He knew, he did somewhere inside him, that she cared for him more than she was willing to admit, and in some way he returned those feelings. He did not want to see her hurt, just as she protected him whenever she was able to. They pulled strength from one another, but he was not entirely sure why he'd need to pull strength from her anyway.

Flames erupted from the ground around her, ranging from black to red in color. She was engulfed in them, and she swung her Zanpakuto so that it trailed through them. Instantly they took shape, and she launched herself off the hilt of the orange-head's Zanpakuto. The shape of a flaming tiger swam around her, and she brought her Zanpakuto down, intending on either destroying the orange-head, or harming him greatly. Shikon's tip grew even more, curving into a gruesome looking angle and the scythe end became jagged along the blade. It looked deadly, and it was.

"Command her to stop."

Toshiro glanced up, having not expected nor heard the arrival of Kuchiki Byakuya. The command to him was quite clear, and he nodded. Taking a glance toward Kagome, he noticed that the flames surrounding her seemed to be harming her more than anything else. Steeling his face, he went to do as the other taichou told him, scolding himself for not noticing that Kagome was using so much power that she was harming herself in the process. She would need time and energy to recover, and she would need to learn how to control her power more.

Byakuya's eyes narrowed. _So, you have already mastered the second release, have you, Higurashi Kagome? It would seem that in the process you're killing yourself. It may be time to find a way to seal that uncontrollable power within you._

Ichigo raised his hands to protect himself.

Kagome's eyes glowed a dangerous red.

Toshiro rushed forward. "Kagome!"

She turned, her weapon still posed to take off the head of the orange-headed one, but the flames were receding and the tip of the Shikon returned to its perfectly sharpened appearance. She managed to move her blade so that she wouldn't touch the man she had attacked, the look in Toshiro's eyes telling her to stop. Her foot connected with the boy's shoulder and she pushed him backwards so that she could slow her movement and flip backwards toward the taichou. "Hitsugaya-taichou?"

He looked at her blackened face, noticing that it was already beginning to heal as he moved toward her. Tiny flames still licked around her, but her Zanpakuto returned to its first stage, and the flames disappeared, giving her time to heal herself completely. Grabbing her shoulders, he felt like shaking her. He hadn't known that her second released hurt her, "No more, Kagome."

"But—"

His eyes hardened, "No."

She lowered her head, and then nodded. Moving her hand, she easily sheathed her Zanpakuto without harming the taichou holding her shoulders. "As you wish, Hitsugaya-taichou."

"I don't want to see you hurting yourself again, do you understand?" he asked, frowning darkly at her.

"I was not—"

"You may not notice it, Kagome, but you are," Toshiro growled. He saw her flinch, and gripped her shoulders tighter. He did not notice Byakuya move past them in order to easily knock Ichigo unconscious, for his attention was completely on Kagome. "You don't have enough control over Shikon to use that technique you were going to use. You're hurting yourself by using it."

She lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry."

He sighed. "Just don't do it again. Not for me."

"Hitsugaya-taichou?" she frowned. Noticing that she'd gotten his attention completely, she said, "I promise I will not use it again until I have complete control."

"Good. I don't want to see you getting hurt because you see my knocked to the ground. I will get up, Kagome. You shouldn't go killing yourself simply because I've gotten knocked around a bit." Toshiro scowled again, "You should only do that if you're fighting to protect your own life, or the life of a loved one."

"You are someone I care for, Hitsugaya-taichou!" she snapped. "That counts too!"

He blinked, watching as she suddenly stiffened, her face turning red. Sighing again, he grabbed her chin and turned her face so that she was staring into his own, and shook his head. Giving her a tiny, rare smile, he said, "I don't want to you risk your life for mine, though."

"Hitsugaya-taichou…"

"Please, don't do it again, Kagome," he continued. He turned his head away, his smile disappearing. "I don't want to see you hurt."

Her eyes twinkled, and she smiled brightly. Without warning, she moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his back, and hugged him. He didn't return it well, only lightly allowing his hands to slip from her shoulders and grip her, but she was happy. "If you wish it, Hitsugaya-taichou, I will not protect you unless I know that a weapon is going to be thrust into your body and end your life."

He rested his chin on shoulder, since she was a little taller than him and it was hard to have rested his chin on top of her head as he wanted to. "And I will do the same."

_--Fin_

* * *

**_KibaSin:_** I apologize if anything is over the line when it comes to Bleach, I've only seen so many episodes and one of my friends asked me to write this, and gave me all the information on Hitsugaya Toshiro. So, here's my first Bleach Crossover One-shot, I hope to have more in the future. 


	28. Unexpected Protectors: Uchiha Sasuke

_**Title:** Unexpected Protectors_

_**Summary:** They showed up out of nowhere, and they're determined to protect Konohagakure. Why, why would they simply begin fighting for them? What reason do they have?_

**Pairing:** Sasuke/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

"Akio, you're to go to the arena and protect the Sandaime Hokage at any cost. We cannot allow Orochimaru to go through with this plan." She turned to the other, "Haruki, you're to go to where their summoned creatures are attacking and stop them."

"Where will you go, Kagome?" the first one asked.

"I will find the Sunagakure shinobi and cause them to flee," she replied.

"You had a vision, didn't you?" the second asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "I saw that in years to come they will be good for their village. However, I saw that if we do not do this now this village will fall, and Orochimaru will rise to power. We cannot allow that to happen. We must protect our village at all costs, no matter what." Her eyes darkened, "It is our duty."

"I have one last question."

"Yes, Akio?"

"Are we going to die? Did you see that?" Akio asked, his eyes darkening in thought.

"You know that I cannot see what I want to see, Akio. I'm sorry, brother," she bowed her head. "I merely know that if we do not stop Orochimaru from completely destroying this village, then we _will_ eventually die early deaths. I want to see my brothers grow old and have families, not watch you die simply because I did not do my duty."

Haruki raised his hand mockingly, "I have a question." Seeing her glare, he continued, "How is Akio going to bring down the barrier the Otogakure shinobi put up, when _I_ was the one to help them create it?"

"Just do as I told you!"

They straightened, "Yes!"

They split up, the two boys taking a completely different route then their sister. They knew that going against her word was going against everything they'd been taught throughout their life, though it was strange that she was the one chosen to watch over their village by their last Kage. She was so young, she deserved to live her life as she wanted to, but instead she was chosen to protect them. So, they would protect her, do as she asked of them, in order to do so. Besides, she had created this plan, pretending to become Orochimaru's ally and then turning against him at the last moment. Confusing him, and defeating him, or so they hoped.

* * *

She moved as soon as they did, moving at great speeds into the forest area within Konohagakure. She was young, she knew that, but she had always been the best tracker her village, Hoshigakure, had ever had. Besides, when she'd had her vision, she'd made sure to remember the direction she'd need to follow in order to find the crazed Gaara and his sister Temari as he battled the Uchiha boy. Hopefully, by not only stopping them, she'd also be able to convince Uchiha that the path he now followed would lead him to evil things and possibly death.

Perhaps she could also get rid of that horrible curse mark she'd seen on his neck.

Moving faster, she glanced behind her in order to check the surrounding area. Finding herself on the right path, she streaked forward, her feet being fed extra chakra in order to reactivate the jutsu she'd used during their journey to Konohagakure. She moved at speeds almost undetectable to the eye, dodging trees and listening to the sounds that she knew she should hear soon. If she remembered correctly, she'd marked the fastest and safest route in her mind in order to arrive quickly, but things were always so much easier in visions.

Forcing the jutsu just a bit more, she heard the sound of splitting wood filling her ears. Smirking, she launched herself off the next tree, leaving a small indent to prove she'd been there, before turning her body so that it would rotate like a spinning top. Her hands came together, instantly making hand signs, and she felt it crackle along her skin like lightning, and rotate her at greater speeds. She hoped that the strange arrival would cause Gaara to pause and hopefully stop Uchiha Sasuke from trying to use his chidori for a third time, as she'd seen in her vision.

She doubted that her brother would kill Orochimaru, but she hoped to stop Sasuke from going with him in search for power. She hoped that she might be able to show him the best way to defeat his brother, who'd she'd seen returning to Konohagakure, an encounter she hoped to be around for. His brother looked like a powerful opponent, and though she was young, she liked to go against opponents that might actually be of some challenge to her.

The sound of chirping birds filled her ears, and she increased her chakra level, making the sound of her lightning like sphere pierce through the entire forest. It drown out the sound of the chidori, and probably caught the attention of many people within the area, but she hoped to stop them both. She hoped to arrive before the curse mark took effect again, and controlled Sasuke's decision on staying in Konohagakure. Her eyes took on a white appearance as she broke through the line of trees Gaara had destroyed and she found them both with their heads turned toward her. Gaara moved back, growling and drooling while he stared at her sphere, and Sasuke merely stood his ground, his hand losing the glow of the chidori.

"What the…" she heard.

Gaara growled. "Is this another one of your tricks, Uchiha Sasuke?"

She forced her landing in front of Gaara, slamming into the branch he'd perched himself on. He growled at her again, his normal eye and Shukaku eye narrowing at her, while his replicated Shukaku arm and tail held him in his stance, holding him in place as her chakra pushed against him. Throwing her arms out, she allowed the chakra to disappear, and then ducked down, knowing her eyes were still completely white, before pushing forward. The chakra still within her system caught him before she did, and when she connected with him, Gaara went flying into the trees, snarling as he slammed against one. She watched as he got up, shook himself, and then turned his attention toward her, but made no move to actually move from his current spot.

"Who are you?"

She turned to find Uchiha Sasuke standing next to her. Tilting her head in a slight bow, she stated, "Higurashi Kagome. Current Kage of Hoshigakure at your service, Uchiha Sasuke."

* * *

Haruki growled, rolling up his sleeves. "Why the hell did I get stuck with this again?" Shaking his head, he jumped forward, his teeth biting into his thumb in order to draw blood. Going into the series of hand signs needed, he thrust his hand downward and heard the loud boom that signaled his summoning. Flipping casually, he landed on the back of the large tiger, whom's head reared back and roared.

A shinobi landed next to him, kunai drawn. Smiling at the Konohagakure shinobi, Haruki said, "Don't worry, I'm on your side."

"What?" the shinobi blinked.

Pulling out his headband from his pocket, he allowed the sun to glint on the five-pointed star shape engraved in the front. "We're here to help."

The shinobi seemed suspicious at first, but sighed. "We need all the help we can get. I'll have you talk to Ibiki first, though. Stay here and don't move if you're on our side!"

"Of course," Haruki grinned.

* * *

The ANBU Black Ops faced off with him, though he sighed a bit. Akio pulled out the scroll his sister had given him outside the village, and tossed it at them, watching as they caught it. Reaching into his clothing, he pulled out his headband and swung it around his neck, bringing up the pieces on his clothing that he'd always used to secure it, and allow the straps to fall in front without a care.

The first ANBU nodded at the scroll. "You know how to break this barrier?"

"Yes, we helped create it," he replied.

"Why would you help create it and then destroy it—" the second tried asking?

The first thrust out his hand, and allowed the second to take the scroll from him. "Please, if you can, help us save Sarutobi-sama," he said.

"Right," Akio nodded. "Just stand back and when the hole opens hurry inside in order to save your Kage. However, you must hurry once I open it, for it won't stay open for long."

"Right," they nodded.

"Good. Now, let's get started!" Akio shouted, his hands forming the final sign that he needed. He launched himself from the ground, circling as he did so, and felt chakra coursing to his upper body. Positioning himself correctly, he made it look like he pushed himself off of a wall, and went sailing through the air, the chakra becoming visible around him, forming a visible barrier around his body. "_Crushing Barrier! Shooting Star!_"

* * *

"Kage?" Sasuke asked.

She nodded. "That's me. I was chosen when I was born, and our last Kage died a year ago. I have been Kage since." Her eyes never left Gaara, but she smirked a little when seeing him get ready to launch himself back toward them. "Will you fight beside a Kage, Uchiha Sasuke? I already know that you cannot beat a demon vessel on your own, but perhaps with my help you can. Plus, I know a pretty fancy sealing jutsu that can nearly rid you of that pretty design on your neck."

His hand lifted, touching the curse mark on his collarbone. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "How do you know about the curse mark?"

"I see many things with these eyes, Uchiha Sasuke," she answered. "Now, I suggest you move to the right, right about… now." She sprang from her position, watching as Sasuke jumped out of the way as Gaara came soaring through, ripping the branch they'd been standing on in half, before slamming against the trunk of another tree.

"So, you have someone to help you, Uchiha Sasuke," Gaara mocked. "You cannot fight me on your own, you need a little girl to help you? Are you truly that weak, Uchiha Sasuke? We are much alike, but I see now that we are very different."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, watching the way Sasuke stiffened from his position. Jumping down, she landed so that Gaara's eyes would redirect themselves at her. Scowling, she glared at him, instead of showing him any other emotion. "Yes, you two are much alike, aren't you, Gaara? You two have the same sad eyes, yet you're very different. You have been shunned because of the people of your village, whereas Uchiha Sasuke was left alone when his own sibling killed his Clan. You both thought you'd found love in someone close to you, only to have it ripped away like it were nothing, but you're different. You were given love but not able to understand it, but Uchiha Sasuke was given love and understood it until the day his elder brother killed his family and he locked the feelings away. You seek a way to make yourself feel alive, but he merely seeks a way to kill his brother. They're very different things."

Gaara growled again. "What do you know of me? You know nothing!"

"I know more than one would think," she smiled. "You were never given love, and I was given false love. You were shunned because of your demon, and I was silently despised because I was accepted by our Kage, when born, for being unique. You killed in order to stay alive, and I wept in silence in order to understand the reason why I was having such a huge responsibility placed upon my shoulders at such a young age. You're hated and considered worthless, while I am the center of everyone's hatred, no matter who they are, because I was chosen for having the ability of foresight and thus placed into the position of Kage for Hoshigakure. It might be different reasons, but you and I are a lot alike."

She narrowed her eyes when he snarled. "Show some respect, boy."

Sasuke's eyebrow lifted.

"I am Kage of my village, whereas you're nothing but a boy allowing a demon to control you. You will either show me respect until you're able to control Shukaku, or I shall chase you back to Suna," Kagome growled.

Gaara sneered. "I do not care for your speech." He thrust his arm out, watching as the sand shot forward toward her. "Die!"

Flipping into the air, she allowed her hands to come into the signs that she needed. Her eyes flicked to the side when she noticed three other presences, but she ignored them for the moment. Her hands were thrust out in front of her afterward, and she hissed, "_Lightning Star Jutsu_."

Sasuke watched, jumping back to safety when he saw a large star-like shape appeared before her hands. She had seemed to stop moving, almost like she was defying gravity, and then she shot one of her hands forward into the shape she'd formed. Instantly afterward a bolt of lightning streaked from the star, slamming against Gaara's new arm, and as soon as the first bolt was gone, another took its place. The forest seemed to grow darker, and with each passing moment the star increased in size and more bolts of lightning shot out from the star's surface with each instant. Then, it suddenly stopped, and the girl was once again on her tree branch, though every once in a while lightning crackled along her flesh, and Gaara's sand was retracting toward him, blood dripping from his left arm. Unlike what he'd thought, the other arm didn't grow back, but the tail whipped around.

"You need to find a way to control Shukaku, Gaara. You need to find control, or you will never find what you're looking for!" Kagome hissed. "Do you wish to be hated and despised all your life? Do you wish for more people who you believed loved you try to kill you behind your back?"

Gaara reached up, images flashing throughout his head as he recalled what she was talking of. Yashamaru had tried to kill him. Yashamaru he had trusted and thought he loved; yet Yashamaru had turned against him. Since that moment others had always been sent to kill him, yet none of them had ever succeeded in even hurting him. He growled and snarled, wanting the memories to go away, while the voice of Shukaku became louder instead his head.

"Sasuke, are you alright?"

He turned his head to find Sakura and Naruto, along with some dog landing near him. He nodded, muttering, "Yeah." Turning his head back, he saw that the girl who claimed she was a Kage moved, placing her hands on Gaara's head. She didn't seem to be disgusted or even frightened by the fact that half of his face was covered in sand making it look like a demon and that drool was dripping down his chin. She merely placed her fingers across his forehead, two of her fingers resting on the kanji for 'Ai' that was there.

"I'm so glad," Sakura sighed. "Kakashi-sensei wanted us to come and make sure that you stopped this mission. You no longer have to do it."

"What?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei wanted us to make sure you didn't go through with it," Naruto exclaimed. "He wants us to return to the arena!"

Sakura frowned, "He never said that, Naruto. He simply told us to stop Sasuke from going through with the mission!"

The dog raised its paw, "I believe you should stop fighting. If you haven't noticed, there's now a strange shinobi and the one named Gaara is still quite dangerous."

She removed her fingers, watching as Gaara crumbled to the ground, the sand returning to his gourd. Her eyes were still white, and she felt his hand grab onto her loose pants when she went to jump away. Smiling at him, she saw that there was respect in his eyes and that Shukaku no longer controlled him. "Return to your home, Gaara. Take your sister and find your brother, and then travel home. Forget this ridiculous mission they've sent you on, and go on with your life."

"Why did you show me those things?" he asked, his voice ragged.

"Because, you deserve to know that I care. I care for everyone who I can see in my visions, and you are one of them. You do not need to kill in order to feel alive, Gaara, you need to learn how to make friends and keep them. Now, I can officially say that I am your friend, if you will allow it," Kagome replied.

He merely stared at her, and then allowed his eyes to slide closed, sleeping peacefully for the first time in years.

She jerked her head toward the frightened blonde leaning against a tree. "Take your brother, Temari, and return to your home. I will come check on him to make sure that Shukaku has not managed to take control of him again once I am finished here."

Temari glared, "Why should I trust you?"

"Do it," she hissed, "or I will kill you and do it myself!"

Temari, still frightened from seeing Gaara transforming, nodded. She moved and grabbed him so that he was leaning on her, and then glanced up at the other kunoichi. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Leave," Kagome said.

Temari nodded and they moved into the forest.

Kagome turned toward the others, and smiled. "Ah, how could I have forgotten."

Naruto and Sakura moved into defensive stances.

"I believe I told you I could get rid of that pretty design you've received there, Uchiha Sasuke. Once I've done that, I believe I will find my brothers and see how they've managed on their current missions," Kagome smiled brightly.

* * *

He crushed the barrier, watching as the ANBU Black Ops moved through it without trouble. Standing, still feeling like he was slightly on fire, he moved forward into the thick forest that had grown inside the barrier. The ANBU were already ahead of him, and he knew that the barrier had closed off behind him, but he saw one of the casters staring at him in disbelief, and muttering something about being a traitor. It was not his fault, he would do what it was his Kage said, and she wanted him to betray Orochimaru, therefore he would.

Akio moved forward, remembering that his mission was to protect the Hokage, which was most likely why Kagome had sent him to do it. Between the twins, he was better suited to protect someone, no matter who they were. So, wanting to prove that correct, he moved forward, searching out the trail that the ANBU had most likely left, and following it to find the current Hokage.

Moving more quickly, he heard someone shout out "Hokage-sama" and knew that something was wrong. Perhaps it had taken him to long to get there, or perhaps the old guy had done something stupid and gotten himself killed. He may have been a Kage, but he was old, and he may make a mistake and be getting quite tired by now. Akio's footing hit the ground once more, and he broke through the final trees, and found the ANBU Black Ops staring at the sight of their Hokage locked in a death embrace with Orochimaru, both of them panting. The Hokage was holding onto Orochimaru, a glowing sword stabbed into his body, while Orochimaru was gently moving his fingers in order to make the blade kill the Hokage faster. Then there was the summoned creature that was holding onto the blade, trying to save the life of the Hokage.

The man who was dying.

Akio was too late, but not late enough to kill Orochimaru while they were locked in such a way. In a flash he was standing behind Orochimaru, and he saw the confusion on the Hokage's face, while a kunai slipped into his hand and around Orochimaru's neck. The man stopped moving completely, and Akio smirked. "You didn't expect to see us, did you, Orochimaru?"

Sarutobi gritted his teeth together. "Who are you?"

"Higurashi Akio," he said.

Orochimaru hissed. "You're the Hoshigakure shinobi!"

"Yeah, Kagome—you remember her, don't you?—decided that she didn't like you very much," Akio grinned. "She decided that she wanted to make sure you didn't end up destroying this village in hopes of gaining a better alliance with them. And in return, I shall kill you in order to make sure it happens."

Sarutobi gave a small cry from the blade entering his body more, rising higher in his chest as Orochimaru tried to kill him faster to get away from the boy behind him. "Please," he panted, "kill him quickly. Do what I could not!"

Akio grinned, "Of course." He pressed his blade closer, and sliced it into Orochimaru's neck. He'd noticed that he did not even move, therefore he was not able to make a substitution of himself. He watched, as suddenly Sarutobi grinned, and then pulled himself closer to the blade going into his body, something obviously happening between the two. Then, a symbol appeared on the Hokage's chest and Akio knew that he'd sealed something, while Orochimaru's body slumped lifelessly.

"Thank you," Sarutobi smiled. "Thank you."

And he died.

* * *

"That's it!" Haruki shouted, watching as the giant cat he'd summoned knocked more enemy shinobi into unconsciousness, and destroyed another one of the creatures summoned by them. The Konohagakure shinobi were also cheering them on, and he noticed that the toad that had been summoned was almost doing damage to the enemy's defenses.

"You've got a lot of talent to summon a creature of that size, kid," Jiraiya grinned.

"Thanks," Haruki smiled. "Kagome's is bigger, though." He scratched the back of his head. "She should be here soon if the Sunagakure kids aren't giving her too much trouble. I think she also wanted to help someone with a curse mark from Orochimaru, but I'm not entirely sure."

"Still," Jiraiya said, "that animal is quite impress."

"It's native where I come from," Haruki replied. He was quite calm within the thick atmosphere, but he still hoped that his little sister was all right. He did not want her to be hurt in any way. "Kagome was the one who managed to make them agree to the summonings, though. Without her, we wouldn't be summoning any type of creatures, but we most likely would have brought an army to help you out if that was the case."

Jiraiya nodded, watching as one of the Otogakure shinobi shouted that they needed to retreat. And it was then that his sharp eye caught sight of the three children who had been fighting in the exams, watching as they moved toward the wall and then over it, heading in the direction of Sunagakure. At least that was one threat down, who knows how many more to go. He just hoped the old man was alright.

* * *

Sakura frowned, watching as Sasuke just sat there, allowing this strange girl to do whatever she wanted to do. She was making strange symbols around him, telling them to stay out of the circle. "What does this do exactly?"

Kagome sighed. "It will make it so that the seal is made from his own chakra, instead of another persons. With his will to remain out of Orochimaru's control, the seal will be flawless and make sure that he will never be put under Orochimaru's control. However, it will also have a little of my chakra embedded into it, which will make it so that the curse mark disappears underneath the skin unless the sealing breaks. Should that happen, it will summon me so that I will be able to place it once more. I doubt that will happen, though."

"Will it hurt him?" Sakura asked forcefully.

Kagome glared at her. "If you do not want me to help him then I won't, and I will allow him to be controlled by Orochimaru, bitch!"

Sakura's mouth fell open in shock.

"I may be in Konohagakure, but I am Kage of Hoshigakure. I will be respected, and I will not hesitate to either shut you up or kill you should you not keep your mouth closed. Either sit down and watch, or leave, girl, because I do not have the patience to speak with you at the moment," Kagome snapped. "I came here to help Konohagakure, when I could have allowed it to fall at the hands of Orochimaru. You should be thanking me, not taking a tone that I do not wish to hear."

Sakura blushed, lowering her head.

Sasuke smirked. He'd never heard any girl actually say such a thing, and it was quite nice to have one that wasn't pawing at him, instead merely wishing to help him to help him. And, she'd managed to shut Sakura up, who had been whining about his health since she'd begun making a circle quite similar to the one Kakashi had used when he'd sealed the curse mark. Plus, the Kage had said that when her seal was put into place, it should make it so that using his Sharingan would no longer hurt him, nor drain him of any extra chakra. In fact, she'd said that because some of her chakra needed to be embedded into it, that his chakra should increase a little, but she wasn't quite sure how having her chakra, which seemed to blend with his own, would effect him once inside his body.

Naruto merely watching; fascinated, while he patted the head of Pakkun. He'd been amazed when she'd simply sent Gaara and his siblings on their way, not even flinching at the look in his eyes, which had seemed to soft a little, or the fact that he was clearly nuts. She'd seemed to knock some sense into him, and Naruto hoped that was the case. Plus, she said she was going to be able to not only help Sasuke, though Naruto hadn't been aware he needed help, but also possibly make him stronger than he had been at the arena earlier. He wondered if she'd do that for him.

Kagome tilted her head this way and that. Nodding at her work, she looked at Sasuke. "Are you ready? It shouldn't hurt that much, but it will sting and you may need some help getting back to the arena," Kagome asked.

"Just do it," Sasuke said. He was slightly glad he didn't have to take off his shirt like he'd had to do when Kakashi had tried to seal the mark.

"Very well," she said. Bringing her hands up, she began making the hand seals that she needed and then allowed her chakra to travel into her fingertips. With the final seal, she shot her hand forward and touched the curse marking, along with the seal that was currently over it. The current seal shattered, and the mark tried to fight against her, but it became silent when her own seal began to form. His chakra molded with hers, as she'd hoped it would—instead of blowing up on them, that was—and the seal pulse in order to tell her that his chakra and will was pushing the curse down. Within moments it was harmless, and her own chakra embedded itself into the seal, covering the entire seal with the marking of the Higurashi Clan, thus completing the process.

Sasuke flinched, and then raised his hand up to touch the new mark. He could not even feel the curse mark anymore, and there was no longer any pain. He was glad, but he was also slightly surprised to find that his chakra had increased. Turning his head, he watched as she smiled at him, and then turned her head toward the South.

"I shall be going now, Uchiha Sasuke. If you ever need me, you will only need to touch that marking and allow your feelings to transfer into it. I shall come if able," Kagome smiled. "I hope that within a few years you will be able to get what you want."

He grabbed her before she was able to leave, watching as she turned back toward him. He forgot that Sakura, Naruto, and that strange talking dog were watching, while he grasped her other hand within his own. He wasn't sure if it was her chakra mixing with his own, or something else, but he felt the need to stay by this girl's side. To protect her, as she had protected him so unexpectedly. "I'm coming with you," he smirked.

She blinked, "What?"

"I'm coming with you," Sasuke repeated. He didn't see the shock on Sakura's face, nor the confusion on Naruto's. "If I have to, I will tell Hokage-sama that I am going to become apart of this Hoshigakure, if I must."

"I think something has gotten into your head that shouldn't be there, Uchiha Sasuke," she muttered. That was certainly not what she'd expected.

"You protected me, and this village, when you didn't have to," Sasuke said. He wasn't sure what was wrong with him, he'd never said this much to a girl before. "I want to repay the favor, and I will stay by your side in order to do so until I have either died, or repaid you."

"My home is much different than your own. You may not like it," she said.

"I'm doing it to repay you, not because I want to," he scoffed.

She nodded.

Sakura gasped, "Sasuke, you can't be serious!"

* * *

"Seems you've picked up a stray, Kagome," Haruki snickered.

Akio nudged him. "Yeah, where'd you pick up Uchiha, anyway? Did he just suddenly fall madly in love with you?"

"Both of you; shut up!"

They straightened, "Yes!"

Kagome smirked, seeing Sasuke do the same. "Now, tell me, how did you both manage?"

Akio's eyes dropped to the ground. "I was not able to save the Sandaime Hokage," he said, "but I did manage to kill Orochimaru. They were locked in a strange embrace, which froze his body, and the ANBU of this village were too shocked to do anything. I think they believed their Hokage was already dead, but I managed to kill Orochimaru before he could do a thing, and then a strange seal formed on the Hokage's chest. I believe he may have sealed Orochimaru's soul."

"That is a loss," Kagome muttered. "Someone will need to watch over this village, did they say if he'd chosen the next Hokage?"

"He had not," Akio replied. "However, they thanked me and told me that they would be able to watch over the village once we went home, and that they would be having someone named Jiraiya, or Tsunade watch over the village until they chose the sixth Hokage."

"I see," Kagome said. "Then we will need to go find this Jiraiya and tell him that we're _kidnapping_ one of their own."

"What?" both asked.

"I'm coming too," Sasuke said.

"Huh?" they looked at each other.

"Now, continue," Kagome said.

Haruki muttered underneath his breath, glaring at the Uchiha. He would protect his sister, even her heart. "I was able to help them rid the village of all enemy shinobi," he said. "A third of the village is pretty much demolished, and they will need some time to rebuild, but it will survive."

"Good," Kagome nodded. "I will make sure to have someone come help them rebuild once we have returned home. And I will make sure to ask for an alliance from both Konohagakure and Sunagakure, since I believe I made a rather good friend with Gaara."

"The crazy kid you saw in your vision?" Haruki asked.

"Yes," she giggled. "Now, why don't we go find one of those people you spoke of," she continued, and then looked over at Sasuke, who was staring at her, "and then _all_ of us go home."

"I still can't believe we're taking him with us," Akio growled. "You sure that's wise?"

"Of course," Kagome said. "One can never pass up the unexpected help, and he will make a good shinobi for the village. However, I doubt anyone will want him on his team, so he will work with you two once we return. You're ordered to be polite and do as he wants until he is able to grasp the ways of Hoshigakure." She reached into her clothing and pulled out her headband, before tying it to her side. "Is that clear?"

They grumbled, "Yes."

She smiled. Turning to Sasuke, she said. "You don't have to do this, you know."

"I feel I must," Sasuke replied. He saw her nod in understanding, and then watched as she pulled out another headband. Frowning, he said, "You saw this in one of the visions you have, didn't you? You knew that I'd be coming with you, didn't you?"

She smiled. "I gave you the choice, Uchiha Sasuke. My vision showed that you may, you may not, so this was your own decision. You don't have to put that on right now, but I suggest you do once we reach your new home."

­_--Fin_


	29. Jealousy: Hakudoushi

_**Title:** Jealousy_

_**Summary:** He hated the fact that he was so easily angered. He didn't like this emotion – jealousy._

**Pairing: **Hakudoushi/Kagome

**Anime:** Inuyasha (IY)

* * *

_Here comes the next contestant_

_**--Next Contestant; Nickelback**_

* * *

He scowled, watching as she raced around the club, placing drinks onto the table they were ordered for. He hated this. Not the fact that she wanted to be independent and have a job of her own, but he hated the job that she'd chosen. The fact that she'd chosen a job where men were always leering at her, along with some women, was the reason that he hated this. He hated the feeling that it made him feel, since he'd never felt this way with any other woman that he'd ever dated and they worked at a similar place.

He blamed it on the fact that his current woman was so innocent in appearance. He knew that she wasn't truly innocent, quite the contrary she liked things to end a little rough at times, and that she did have a dark side to her. He'd seen it plenty of times, so he was positive that he'd be able to increase that darkness that she kept so well hidden, but he'd never been able to do it. Now, he didn't think that he needed to do it, no matter how much he'd wanted to when he'd first met her. In the beginning, making her speck of darkness explode until she was controlled by it sounded like the most wondrous adventure, but now he wanted her the way she was. He didn't want to change her, but he didn't want her working in this club any longer.

Clenching his hand, he watched as she placed a drink down onto one of the tables she was sent to, and someone reached out their hand, intent on touching what belonged to him. Narrowing his light lavender eyes, Hakudoushi scowled harder, wanting to rip that hand off before it made contact with her. He wanted to beat the crap out of the bastard who dared touch his girl, and then watch them as they limped away from him. It would teach them a lesson on touching what belonged to another man, one that he was sure they would not soon forget, for he would make sure it hurt.

He felt almost like every single of the men staring at her were trying to fight him for her. However, a small smirk found its way onto his pale lips when she stiffened and slapped the drunk who'd grabbed her ass. At least watching her do that was enough to make him slightly happy to know they were getting slapped around for touching her, but it wasn't enough. By morning they'd forget it even happened, and they'd forget that they were hit at all. At least if he hit them, it would be something that they wouldn't forget. He'd hit them so hard that they would feel it for weeks, but he knew he had to restrain himself. Hitting them would only get him thrown in jail, farther away from her, and then they'd really make moves on her, for they'd probably be able to sense that there was no one hiding in the shadows waiting for a moment to strike.

Still, there was one good thing about those stupid idiots touching her, and that was when she got home she was usually angry about it. She was riled up enough that she wanted him to be rough with her, and then he got what he wanted, silently telling others that he was the one who ruled her, he was the one who touched her while they were all thinking about her. He, Hakudoushi, was the one who held her pretty little heart, and he wasn't going to allow anyone else to have it. He was the only one to ever truly hold it, which made him happy, but made him even angrier every time he saw someone touch her so intimately when they did not even know her.

True, they probably saw that she was a light to any darkness, but they did not know of the darkness that lay underneath her light. They didn't know, and they didn't deserve her. He deserved her, which was the reason why he had her, and he wanted nothing more than to make sure that none of them got their hands on her. Yet they still continued to touch her, to touch her in ways that they should not even try to touch her, and that made him angry… _jealous_.

He'd come to admit that some time ago, when she'd been working with her friend Sango, and she'd noticed the way he was glaring at everything and anything that moved toward his girl. Sango had apparently gotten a kick out of knowing that he was able to feel anything other than indifference and pleasure. She'd teased him until he'd threatened to cut out her tongue, to which she simply told him Kagome wouldn't like that, and knowing it was true allowed her to do as she wished while tuning her out. Technically she was still teasing him about it, but he paid even less attention to her than normal, even when the situation was serious, so he didn't hear half of it.

Leaning forward a bit, his white hair fell into his eyes, before he reached up to move it out of the way. Knowing that sooner or later his girl was going to come to his table, either to ask him for his drink, or having already seen him, bringing it to him, he turned his eyes to look at the other occupants of the club. There were many, which made it hard to keep an eye on Kagome whenever she went into the crowd, and was another reason he couldn't understand why she liked this job. He liked isolation unless he was inflicting pain onto some asshole who deserved it, or at least enough that three people only surrounded him at the most at one time. She liked being surrounded by people, and it almost caused him to shudder with just how many people she probably touched on the days that she did work, though that meant he usually got a little shower time with her while she washed.

Sighing, Hakudoushi turned his attention back toward where he had seen Kagome last. When he found her, he narrowed his eyes at the man who was handing her a drink, obviously thinking he might be able to get lucky by doing so. She was giggling, though she looked rather uncomfortable, and then waved her hand and rushed away. Following her with his eyes, he watched as she went back to the bar and placed the drink onto the counter, telling the bartender, Miroku, something before the other man burst into laughter and she scowled at him. At least he knew she wasn't drinking those stupid little drinks, since who knows how many of them were drugged so that she'd simply fall into their arms. Not that they'd get very far, he'd made it quite clear to Miroku that if any male other then himself—or female other than Sango—came to tell him they were taking her home, to intervene.

No one was going to get the upper hand over him.

Still, he'd noticed that it seemed to be getting worse with each and every day. At first it had only been a few people, which he hadn't mind, but now the old ones who'd tried again and again were coming back on the days they knew she worked in order to try new ways of trying to wiggle their way into her pretty little heart. Each day he wanted to hit someone more and more, especially when she came home and bitched about all the men who'd grabbed her ass, or pulled her into their lap. The aftermath was pretty good, but hearing that someone had touched his woman's flesh was enough to make him want to take a flamethrower and burn the place to the ground. Make sure she wasn't going to stay for much longer, but she'd probably suspect it was him and leave him, which wasn't acceptable.

"You're here again?"

Hakudoushi looked up, his nearly blank eyes taking in the sight of Kagome's friend, one of the only ones to actually have his trust with her. "Yes," he scowled, "one cannot trust these idiots with Kagome when she comes out here wearing those articles of clothing she should only wear when she wants me to take it off her."

She frowned, "You're very arrogant. I wonder how Kagome still puts up with you."

"According to her I'm sadistic as well, Ayame," Hakudoushi countered, "but that doesn't seem to bother her."

Ayame wrinkled her nose, "I noticed."

"Then why are you still standing there?" he asked. She might have been Kagome's friend, but she did not deserve his respect because she had not earned it, and only Kagome deserved his slight softness that she'd discovered.

"Because you're Kagome's boyfriend, she seems to be absolutely infatuated with you, and you look ready to kill someone," Ayame replied. "Enough so that she would end up losing you, blah, blah, blah, I need to be a nice person and stop you from doing it, blah, blah, blah. Do you want me to continue?"

He scowled. "I believe I got the point," he said. Brushing his hand over his very light purple shirt, he glanced down at his white pants and straightened out the wrinkles there as well. He was always in his best appearance whenever near Kagome, and he tried to make her the same so that she looked very good on his arm, so much so that he almost wanted to eat her every time he saw her.

"Good, so calm down." Ayame flicked her hair, glaring lightly at him.

"I am calm," he muttered.

"No, you're not," Ayame said. "I've been around you long enough to tell whenever you're calm-calm, and whenever you're angry-calm. Right now you're not calm-calm, which is bad. Tell me, should I go get Kagome? I think she'd be able to calm you down completely, especially with all the things you two do together." She smirked, "Plus, it'd be fun to see if I'm correct."

Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "Correct on what?"

"If you're like other men and become stupid after sex," Ayame said thoughtfully. She noticed that his glare became harder, and giggled. "Don't go getting your panties into a bunch, Hakudoushi! I was only kidding, besides, here comes Kagome now!"

Turning his head, he noticed that Kagome was heading toward them. She was smiling brightly, her darkness hidden so well that he wanted to simply tug at it in order to uncover it some more, while carrying a drink in her hand. No doubt it was for him, though she winked at him when she reached the table and placed it down. "Kagome," he said.

"Hello to you, too, Hakudoushi," Kagome giggled.

"I'll leave you two alone," Ayame smiled. Nudging her friend, she leaned forward, "Have fun, Kagome…"

Kagome pursed her lips together, a small blush forming on her cheeks. "Ayame," she returned, not trusting herself to say anymore than that. She'd probably end up saying something completely ridiculous that would make her blush harder. Watching her friend walk away, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and pull her into Hakudoushi's lap. Had he been anyone else, she would have slapped him, but she leaned against him. She remembered when she'd known him while they were little, how short he had been, and giggled a bit.

"What do you find so funny?" Hakudoushi asked. He glared at everyone that was glaring at him, and brought his hand up so that her breasts were resting against his arm. He hated the fact that they were able to make him feel so angry, so it was only natural that he'd want to return the favor. Besides, they wanted his barely dressed woman, even though the clothing covered quite a bit when she was standing straight, and that was not acceptable. It was only right that he'd be able to show them that they were not allowed to touch unless they wanted to anger him enough that he punched them in the face.

She waved her hand lightly, "Nothing."

"If it was nothing you would not be laughing about it," he said.

"Its nothing, Hakudoushi, don't worry about it," she smiled at him.

He scoffed, pulling her closer. "How long do you have?"

"Fifteen minutes until my break is over and then I work until nine," Kagome replied.

Turning her head so that she was looking him in the eye, he stared at her blankly enough that she'd be the only one to understand what he truly meant. "I don't like it when you work that late," he said. He didn't, but with his blank stare and emotionless voice only she'd be able to understand that he _did not_ like it when she worked that late. Others would think that he was lying.

"I know," she said.

"I don't like it when you wear these indecent clothes, either," he mumbled loud enough so that she could still hear him.

"I know," she said.

"I don't like it when they touch you," he smirked.

"I know," she said, a tiny smirk forming on her own lips.

"Do you like it, Kagome?" he asked. "Do you like it when they touch you?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment, though she held his gaze. Then she gave a pretty little shake of her head, and said, "No."

"Good," Hakudoushi said. Grasping her chin between his fingers, he pulled her lips to his own. It was harder than he'd expected it to be, but that was only natural when he was beginning to feel anger at the fact that everyone who came just to see her was glaring at him. He was the one who was allowed to touch her; he was the one who deserved her, yet they glared at _him_. He felt the heat of their glares intensify when she returned his kiss, probably none of them knowing that she was his girlfriend, but thinking that she was giving some strange priviledge to him. They may not know it, but she was not some slut that would go jumping into their beds, though he rather liked it when she jumped into bed with him.

She pulled away a little bit, "Hakudoushi."

"Hm?" he replied.

"You don't have to be jealous, Hakudoushi," she smiled.

He glared for a small moment, "How do you know I'm _jealous_?"

"Sango," she said.

_I'm going to kill that woman_, he muttered to himself. Turning his head away, he acted like it was nothing, that he was denying, but he knew she'd see it the other way around. If he was able, he might have blushed a little at the fact that she knew what he felt every time he saw her this way, in this place, with all those stupid idiots.

She pecked him on the lips again, smiling all the while. "I don't care about them, Hakudoushi. I care about you, and that's all that matters. You don't have to get jealous over little old me."

"Old?" he asked. "Here I believed you were only twenty-three. How old are you, _really_?"

She swatted him on the arm, watching as the smirk returned to his lips. It was the closest thing she'd ever gotten to a smile, the closest thing she knew she'd ever get to one, but it was acceptable. "That's not funny," she said darkly.

"I thought it was," he replied.

"Fine then, be that way. I'll just go back to work and leave you here all alone by yourself. Let you be jealous!" Kagome said hotly. She stood, but turned back to him and once again leaned close enough that she ghosted her lips over his cheek and then waved. Her anger was gone quickly, and she knew that he was probably staring at her back, or ass, and giggled to herself. It was so easy to get angry with him, but almost instantly it was gone and she felt much better.

He watched her, watching as men once more surrounded her, like they thought she'd broken up with him. He glared at them, reaching toward the table in order to grab the drink she'd brought him, and then took a long drink. Anything to try and make it seem like he wasn't jealous—anything to make it seem he wasn't jealous at the fact that she didn't just knee one of those guys and snap at them to never touch her again, for she was far to polite to do so. Hakudoushi frowned, taking another drink as someone whispered into her ear, while a woman tried to gain her attention, and she simply waved him or her off. No violence like he wanted, just simply waved them off as if they weren't there. When would she learn that wasn't going to get rid of them?

Then again, when was he going to flat out tell her that she needed to find a job at a more decent place? He'd planned on it, to perhaps lock lips with her in the middle of the floor one night, and then whisper it to her seductively. He might be slapped, she might get angry with him, but he'd also be able to show these idiots that he wasn't just another one of them, he was important to her. He was Hakudoushi, he was someone important in her life and they weren't going to get in his way. He may be jealous that she was so ignorant that she allowed them to hit on her, or simply didn't care that they did, but she was still his until he decided otherwise. Until she bored him, he planned on keeping her, jealousy or not.

The rest of those assholes could go to hell.

Placing his glass on the table, he stood. Running a hand through his white locks, Hakudoushi locked his lavender eyes onto her form and then moved forward. One way or another, even if he forgot to tell her that she should consider finding another job, he was going to show these idiots that he was the only one who was truly serious with her. He was the only one getting close, and they could take the blunt of his fury if they wanted to, for he was getting sick and tired of just sitting there while they hit on his woman.

Hakudoushi's eyes seemed to lose their blank stare and twinkle a little. Violence was something that he happened to enjoy. Why not indulge himself?

_--Fin_


	30. Two of a Kind: Sohma Akito

**_Kiba Note:_** This one is really short, but I couldn't stop thinking about it, even though I'm trying to work on my Mugen, Ayame, and Hatori ones. Stupid imagination. Anyway, I hope you like it, and remember what I said about the little twist between the anime and manga versions of Fruits Basket, which I do not own.

* * *

_**Title:** Two of a Kind_

_**Summary:** He locked her away, and in return she hated him, defying his wishes. They were two of a kind, both wanting something, but neither wishing to give into each other._

**Pairing:** Akito/Kagome

**_Anime Version_:** Fruits Basket/IY

* * *

They moved forward, before one turned their head in many directions. After a moment, the person turned their attention back to the one in front of them, and asked, "Where is Akito, Hatori?"

Hatori stopped, surprised by the sudden question. Turning to Shigure, also surprised he wasn't going into his childish antics, he blinked. He hadn't expected to question, but now that he thought about it, he wasn't quite sure. Yes, he'd gone in to check on Akito earlier, before he'd gone to retrieve Shigure for the head of the Sohma Family, but he did not know now. It had been strange that Akito did not greet them, since the head had been feeling quite well that day, so unlike the day before. Blinking again, he stared blankly, stating, "I do not know."

Shigure brought his hand up, grasping his chin between his fingers. "Could Akito have gone out, perhaps?" he asked. "I am aware I am supposed to be meet him today, but if he is not here…"

"You will wait, Shigure," Hatori said, stopping Shigure's sentence. "As Akito would have ordered you."

Sighing, Shigure looked somewhat stricken. "Of course," he mumbled, his head falling. He should have known Hatori would not be the type to let him out of this so easily. He knew that Akito wished to speak with him about what was happening inside his household lately, but how was he supposed to do that when Akito was missing? He really did not understand why Hatori wished to delay his return home, where sweet, sweet Tohru was cooking her delicious cooking. He really didn't know what he'd do without her!

Sensing that Shigure had gone off into his own little world, Hatori shook his head. Turning back toward the direction they'd been walking, he moved again, intent on having Shigure wait at Akito's room. At least then he would not have to listen to him complain. After all the time he tried to meddle in his life, it was only fair that he'd be able to return the favor. If Akito was missing, most likely traveling deeper into the house for something, then Shigure could and would wait for the head's return. There would be no ifs, ands, or buts. He would do it, no questions asked, though Hatori was sure he'd hear Shigure's complaints outside.

* * *

His hand wove into her hair, pulling tightly as he watched her back arch. The muscles of her neck stood out more, and he knew that the muscles of her stomach most likely did as well, but he was not there to appreciate the fact that she held a rare beauty. Even in this dark room, so well hidden from the other occupants of the Sohma household, her strange beauty still shined brightly. Even her scowl seemed to hold some type of beauty, one that he tried to deny, ridiculed and put down whenever he could, but secretly admired. She was different, so different.

Her upper lip twitched, and he knew that she was annoyed with his long stay. He had seated himself on the small windowsill in her room some time after telling Hatori to retrieve Shigure for him, expecting the dragon to take some time to do so. One leg was propped up underneath his other; while his other foot rested between her slightly spread legs, putting her at an even better angle to manipulate her in. Watching that slight movement of her lip caused his own to do the same, a small wicked grin forming on his lips.

"Bastard," she whispered, her eyes glowing with anger.

Trailing the fingers of his other hand over her cheek, he felt her try to pull away, only to flinch at the sharp jerk at her hair. "You have brought this upon yourself, witch," he muttered. Almost softly, he trailed his hand lower, until he was touching her delicate neck. Without warning, he ran his nails over her flesh, making sure that they bit into her skin, hoping to draw a small amount of blood. His actions were rewarded with the small swelling of the red liquid along the expanse of her neck, and his grin widened, eyes playful.

She seemed to try and growl.

"Release the curse, little witch," he said, pulling harshly at her hair. Her entire body was jerked on instinct at the sharp feeling, and she sat straight, her head practically lying in his lap. For a moment he wondered what it would be like for her to willingly do so, but knew that she would never do such a thing. She hated him for taking her away from the rest of the world, and tried to do everything in her power to make his visits as short as possible.

"I cannot," she hissed lightly. She was tired, oh so tired. Tired of doing this, tired of being out of the sun. She hated the room he'd stuffed her within upon finding her, and though she'd never felt it before, she began to hate him as well. He deserved her hate, for he took away everything she'd had left. He'd taken away the sun, and the last bit of a home she'd had, since both her families were gone. "You know I cannot, why do you continue to ask, Akito?"

He leaned over her, his hair falling around them once he was close enough. "Ah, little witch, I know you're lying. You can, and in time you will," he mocked. "You will do it." He tugged again at her hair, watching as she winced slightly. "You will."

"I will do nothing," she growled.

His eyes hardened, and he released her hair in favor of digging his nails into her shoulder. She glared at him, but he was not even fazed by the hateful stare. His other hand grabbed her neck, debating on whether or not he should try and choke her. The marking on her neck reminded him that if it did not work a first time, it would not work a second, and he paused from doing so. Instead, he leaned backwards, his hand still clenched on her shoulder, but his free hand beginning to softly caress the hair that had fallen into his lap.

She lifted her head slightly, and then turned it so that she was slightly more comfortable. The position was not her favorite, she hated it in fact, but she knew that he would keep her there as long as possible. "I wish to go outside," she said, her voice demanding.

Akito's eyes twinkled. "Ah, ah, ah, little witch, you'll only run away then. I can't have you doing that, can I?" he asked. "You're here for my purposes, after all. And in the end, you'll do as I tell you. Then, I shall set you free."

"Do not speak of me as if I am your pet!" she snapped.

"If you were, little witch—"

"Stop calling me that," she snapped again.

"—then you would have already done as I've asked of you," Akito said darkly. "If you were, you'd be a good little pet and do the trick your master wishes of you. But you're not my pet… you're simply mine. And I shall keep you as long as I desire."

"I shall never break the curse," she said, "for you deserve it."

"Your words only prove to me that you can break it, so I do not believe I shall simply give you away," he said, staring down at her with his dark eyes. Suddenly, he coughed, the hand petting her hair coming up to cover his mouth on impulse. Growling in frustration, he turned his head from her, the sound continuing to echo into the room. Once the coughing fit subsided, he returned to his previous actions, and then grabbed her hair suddenly, giving her a sharp jerk again. Hearing her small cry, he grinned. "Soon, soon you will do as I say, little witch."

"My name is Kagome," she spat. "_Ka. Go. Me_. How hard is it for you to say that?"

His nose wrinkled while he stared at her disdainfully. "As I am aware."

"Then use it, you goddamn bastard," she said. Turning her eyes up toward him, she caught his own in a staring match.

"Do not command me, witch," he hissed. His eyes narrowed, and once again he pulled at her hair. Sliding his foot out more, he felt her leg copying the motion faster, the kimono he provided her with falling open at the bottom. It was tied high enough that once it was open fully he could see everything from the waist down, and watched as her face flushed a bright crimson, though she still glared at him.

She stared, and then blinked. "Don't give me a reason to then," she mocked.

"Witch," he spat.

"Bastard," she hissed.

"Do you not understand that you'd be helping this family by breaking the curse, witch? Do you wish for us to be forever be this way? To never truly love another, to never truly get close to people around them unless family, to never know what happiness really is. Do you wish that upon them, witch?" he asked, his eyes questioning.

She smirked a little, her eyes twinkling. "No," she said. Seeing him grin, she continued, "I wish it upon _you_."

He glared.

"You're dying," she said. "And when you die, another will take your place. Then, and only then, will I break this families curse! For then, you shall no longer be alive, and then I shall never have to look upon you again! I shall be free, when you take in your last breath!"

She gave a small cry when his hand suddenly struck out at her, and she found herself sprawled out on the ground. Her chin and cheek burned, and she felt angry tears form in her eyes while he stood. He was coughing again she noticed, and a slight pity entered her eyes, but she quickly shook it away. This man, this monster had locked her away, he didn't deserve anything but her hatred. He deserved nothing but the death that would soon come upon him.

Her eyes widened suddenly at her own thoughts, and she turned to look at him when he stopped coughing, and moved to stand over her. She quickly righted her kimono, knowing that he'd purposely given her a rather small obi, and covered herself, but his hand had already reached out. Gasping, appalled at the fact that she was thinking as she believed he did, she felt him grasp her arm and haul her up so that they were nose to nose. She stared into his dark eyes, seeing the fury and insanity resting there, and felt him pull her closer, but not close enough that he was actually touching her.

"You will break the curse before than, bitch," he growled. "You will free us, and you will free me from the death that is coming upon me. You, you little bitch, will be a good little doggy and do what I tell you, and then I shall let you out of this room. Then I shall perhaps inform others you're trapped within this room, instead of leaving you here for starvation."

Trying to pull away, she felt his left hand rest upon the back of her neck, the nails instantly biting into her skin. Beginning to breath heavily, she was sure that her eyes were beginning to dilate, her miko powers flaring in order to protect herself from whatever he was planning to do to her. However, she watched as his eyes flashed again, and he suddenly thrust her away. She landed roughly on the floor, Akito once again towering over her, and she glanced up at him to see that his face had returned to its indifferent state.

"Now, be a good little doggy and remain here," he said emotionlessly. He turned, and moved to the door. Watching as she glanced up at him, he saw something else in her eyes as she allowed tears to escape. He wondered what she was thinking of for a moment, but then shook his head, and turned away. He left the room, making sure to lock it after exiting, and leaving her there with her few candles and emptiness.

Kagome stared at the door after he'd gone, the emotion roughly being squashed underneath the hatred that sprang forth. Tears leaked down her face, and she gave a loud angry cry, knowing that he'd hear it, though those deeper within the house would not. Afterward, she turned her head away roughly, and moved to where he'd been sitting, climbing up onto the small ledge, and turning toward where the window had once been. Angry sobs began to shake her frame, and she was determined to make him either allow her outside for a short time, or give her some way to sunlight upon his next return. Perhaps then she would think about releasing the curse upon his family, and perhaps then she would admit to herself that she felt more than simply hatred toward that sadistic man.

_--Fin_


	31. Destiny: Hyuuga Neji

_**Title:** Destiny_

_**Summary:** She hated destiny. She hated it for reasons that anyone could have understood. For destiny always cheated her out of her happiness._

**Pairing:** Neji/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

Her hand clutched his own, wondering why he'd done it.

"_This is our destiny,_" _she heard him whisper into her ear._

_She turned, "If destiny had anything to do with this, I'd spit in its face."_

_He blinked in surprise, his eyebrow lifting in a silent question._

_She frowned, "Destiny has cheated me once. I don't want it to cheat me of this."_

_He nodded, understanding._

Tears washed over her cheeks while he stared at her, his eyes once again asking a silent question. She could see the pain there, the pain that was obviously being placed upon him, though she didn't wish to look at the reason why. She didn't want to believe that destiny had once again given her an unhappy ending.

"_Destiny has nothing to do with us!" she snapped._

_He shook his head. "Everyone's destiny is written in stone. If we're meant to be together, then we shall be. If not, then we will soon find out."_

"_How can you say that?" she yelled. "How can you talk so easily about something that you obviously know nothing about?"_

_His eyes glared. "If I know nothing, then what do you know?"_

_She grew silent._

Others watched, silently, as a woman stood behind the one knelt, tears running from her pupil-less eyes. She continued to stare at them, her eyes looking down at the weapons sticking from the body of the man. She looked surprised when a tall blonde wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as she allowed her tears to run into his clothing. Others simply could not take the sight any longer, and turned to the other.

Blood dribbled down from the side of his lip, a shaky breath being drawn into his lungs.

"_Why do you always argue with me?"_

"_Why must you always insist that my destiny has everything to do with the actions I take?"_

"_Because I believe so," he replied._

"_And I do not," she frowned._

"_Then perhaps…"_

_She grabbed him, holding onto the front of his clothing. "Please, please, don't say that," she whispered. "Please."_

"_Why? You do not even know what I was going to say," he commented._

"_I do," she whispered. "Destiny has already taken my family, please, please, don't let it take you too."_

"You fool," she said, her voice shaking. "You stupid, stupid fool."

His eyes filled with amusement, barely hiding the pain he was going through.

"_Destiny? Is that all you know how to talk about?" she snapped._

"_I could speak of fate," he chuckled._

"_Destiny and fate are the same thing," she said darkly. "To speak of fate would be defeating the purpose of not speaking of it at all."_

"_Very well," he sighed in defeat._

_She knew he was not so easily won, and the topic would come back up sooner or later. "Do you always have to insist that destiny has anything to do with how we live? We make our own lives, destiny does not make it for us."_

_He remained silent._

"_Perhaps our final destiny, the destiny to die, is written in stone," she chuckled, "but what we do until then is not."_

"_Or so you believe," he said._

"_No, I do know," she frowned. "Destiny would not have taken my family away. It wouldn't have."_

"Did I…" he coughed.

She shushed him, saying, "Don't speak. You must save your strength until the medic-nins come. They'll be able to save you."

"If it is my…" he began.

"Don't speak of that now," she muttered, pulling him closer. "Please, don't speak of that now."

"_Blah, blah, blah," she said. "I hear the same thing from you over and over again. Try to find something original, why don't you?"_

_He scowled. "If you do not like it, you know where the door is."_

_She frowned. "But I don't wish to leave."_

"_Perhaps it is your destiny to," he replied. "We do not seem to get along very well anymore."_

"_That's only because you insist on reminding me of the same thing over and over again. If destiny had anything to do with my life, then my decision to kiss you right now would have an affect on it, but it doesn't." She smirked at him._

"_Do you wish to test that theory?" he asked._

_A blush rose to her cheeks. "N-no!"_

"_Then how do you know it is true?" he asked, a smug smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth._

"_I… I just know!" she said._

_He grabbed her chin between his fingers. "Prove it," he said. Then, his lips lowered onto hers. Passion passed between them, his fingers clasping around her forearms, as he pulled her closer. "Prove to me that it means nothing," he whispered after pulling away._

_She stood there, her lips slightly parted, and eyes closed._

Knowing that she would not be able to heal him herself, she felt worthless. She felt like she could do nothing for him, for the wound was too life threatening for her to save. She knew that she was a failure to her clan. She knew that, which was why she pulled him closer. Such a strong individual who was considered a prodigy, who'd once, said he loved her. She was nothing, how could someone like him love her?

_Another moan rose into her throat, his tongue sliding up her flesh._

"_Is this not destiny?" he whispered._

"_S-shut up," she hissed. "This is _not_ the time."_

"_You simply don't wish for me to stop," he replied._

"_Sometimes…" she 'eeped' suddenly, his fingers brushing against her again. "Ah… I-I think that you're too cocky for you own good."_

"_You seem to like it, though," he smirked._

_Pushing away from him, or trying to, she snapped, "Well, maybe I don't want to like it."_

"_Perhaps it _is_ your destiny to pretend to hate it, yet secretly love whenever I touch you," he chuckled._

_She didn't argue._

His eyes flashed a little at seeing her tears, his hand trying to lift in order to wipe them away. His strength was leaving him, and he felt her hand catch his own, stopping him from making too much movement. Sucking in another breath, he coughed, "Don't cry."

"Don't tell me not to cry!" she snapped.

"I… I don't like to see you… cry," he said, trying not to seem weaker than he was.

She leaned over him, her forehead nearly resting on his own as she stared into his eyes. "Why must you always be so stubborn?" she asked.

"Why must you?" he said, a smirk trying to pull at his lips.

"_Hold me," she whispered. "I'm not sure how much more I can take of you."_

_He shook his head, turning away._

"_Why must you always be so stubborn?" she scowled._

"_I was assigned that mission. I must take it in order to live well, just as I must take it in order to make sure we have a living," he sighed._

"_I could take missions. I am chuunin," she frowned. "Then you would not have to—"_

_He pulled away from the kiss he'd engaged. "I won't allow that."_

"_Why?"_

_He gave her a look for being so stupid, and then shook his head. "I do not like it when you risk your life."_

"_But that is what you're doing," she huffed. "I don't like thinking you won't ever come back…"_

"_I'll always come back…" he said. "It is my destiny."_

"_Oh, shut up about destiny already!" she threw up her hands._

_A smirk formed onto his lips._

She felt like she was losing a piece of herself, watching as he died. She knew he was dying. There was nothing she could do to stop it. "Neji," she whispered. "Neji, please don't leave me."

He coughed.

"This…" she stopped, "this can't be your destiny. It can't be."

"Perhaps… it is," he whispered.

"No," she shook her head. "It can't be. Destiny… destiny has already taken so much from me."

"I'm sorry," he said.

Shifting her eyes to connect with his own, she blinked. "Why? Why are you apologizing, Neji?"

"I… I had to… save… Hinata-sama… and in doing so… I've…" he stopped, wincing. "I'm sorry."

He was fading before her very eyes. More tears fell from her eyes onto his face, but he merely stared at her as if he wanted to stop her pain. She knew he couldn't, for in order to do so he'd have to live, and she was afraid that wasn't going to happen. She understood why he'd done what he had, she did, but she hated it. She hated the rest of the Hyuuga clan for it, but she hated the fact that he was dying even more. "Please, don't apologize. I'm the one who should be sorry," she whimpered.

"A branch member," he coughed, "must protect the… main branch… I'm sorry."

"I know, I know," she said, her head shaking. "Just don't leave me, and everything will be alright."

"Kagome?"

"Yes?" she asked. She stared at his dimming eyes, wishing that the pupil-less orbs weren't doing that. She'd seen so many people die, she knew what was happening, and she hated it. She wanted the orbs rimmed with happiness, indifference, and boredom returned to her, not those lifeless orbs that came upon a person—the signal of death.

"Destiny… destiny must really… hate us…" he chuckled.

She smiled, nodding. "Yeah…"

His eyes slide closed.

"Neji?" she whispered, pulling him closer. He didn't respond. "Neji? Neji!"

Still, he merely moved as she shook him.

"_NEJI_!"

A flash of blue filled the area, shock settling into the minds of those standing around them.

* * *

"_I love you."_

"_I know," he smirked._

"_Don't you love me?" she asked._

"_Perhaps," he replied._

"_What does that mean?" she asked, anger entering her voice._

"_That perhaps it is simply my destiny to love you now," he said. "Later, though, I shall see a beautiful, powerful young woman standing in the middle of the street somewhere and fall in love with her, following the path of my true destiny."_

"_Jerk," she growled._

_He blinked, frowning. "Did I… upset you?"_

"_What do you think?" she asked, turning her head away._

"_I was merely joking," he said._

"_Then don't sound so fucking sure it will happen!"_

"_There is no reason to yell at me," he said._

_She turned her head back, tears leaking from her eyes. "There's no reason to act like you're suddenly going to walk out on me simply because I'm not good enough! I know that already, god damn it!"_

_His hand came up, wiping silently at the tears washing over her cheeks. "What gave you that idea?"_

"_I have never been good enough," she whispered. She tried to turn away, but found that his hand was holding her chin still. "I've always known that."_

"_You're wrong," he said, pulling her closer._

"_If only," she said. "If only… that were true."_

"_I wish you would not think this way," he murmured._

"_I wish you would stop talking of destiny," she whispered. "Destiny hates me. I hate destiny. If you continue, someday you might just disappear, and I don't want that."_

"_I won't," he declared. "I won't."_

* * *

His eyes slide open, his body stiff.

Bright eyes stared into his own. "You're awake," a voice whispered.

He groaned.

"Neji…" she whispered. "You're alive!"

"Wench," he growled, his voice unused and rough.

Tears washed over her cheeks again. "You're alive! You're alive!"

He allowed her to grab hold of him, her hands clenching into his shirt. She sobbed into his chest, and he smirked at the image she made. He loved seeing her that way, it meant he was able to try and protect her.

"I'm so happy," she whispered. Turning her eyes up, she smiled. "For once, destiny has dealt me a winning hand."

He blinked, opening his mouth to say something.

"Don't say anything," she whispered. "Don't. Not right now. Not when I'm happy." Seeing his slightly confused eyes, she whispered. "I'm happy because destiny doesn't seem to hate me after all."

_--Fin_

* * *

**_KibaSin:_** Well, that's the first time I've used that much dailog in a chapter. Sorry if it wasn't very good, I couldn't stop thinking about it, and random ideas kept popping into my head. I wrote this mainly because if I hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to type up something else. So, I hope to have "_Stains of the Heart", "Breeding School", "The Dimension Vortex", _and _"Such a Small World"_ updated by next April 9th, since my Spring Break ends then. So, I'm off to read fanfiction and hopefully write more to the ones I've started. 

_Kiba_


	32. Wrong Impressions: Sohma Ayame

_**Title:** Wrong Impressions_

_**Summary:** She wanted to prove that she wasn't just some burden handed off to him. She wanted to prove to him that she could do the things that he said, even when he didn't believe it himself._

**Pairing:** Ayame/Kagome

**Anime:** Fruits Basket/IY

* * *

"Oh, who could that be?" she asked, blinking slightly as she moved toward the door. Sliding it open, she blinked in surprise and smiled. "Ayame-san!"

Shigure rose from the table instantly, cheerfully asking, "Aaya, what brings you here?"

The other two boys sitting at the table grumbled to themselves when the proud, smiling man stepped into the room, but then reached his hand out, only for another to be placed into his. They glanced up, blinking in surprise when a pretty young woman followed after Ayame, blushing a bit from the treatment. Or maybe it was the fancy clothing she was wearing, which they could only bet had been made by the costume shop owner himself.

"Ah, I came to show off my lovely fiancée, of course, Gure-san," Ayame smiled, allowing the woman to grip onto his arm, and smiled down at her. Turning his head up, he cast his eyes around and when they landed on a certain person, he asked, "Yuki-kun, are you not happy to see your elder brother so happy? Or perhaps you're still stunned by the fact that you're beginning to finally follow in my footsteps and rather enjoy the adventure!"

Yuki twitched, "I don't think so."

"How can you go from one topic to another without getting yer ass confused?" Kyo asked.

Ayame sighed, shaking his head as he looked down at the woman beside him. "It seems that not even Kyonkichi can find it in his heart to give you a chance my pretty flower," he moaned.

Shigure blinked, "You're getting married, Aaya?" Tears filled his eyes, "So romantic, yet so mean of you, Aaya! When did you plan to tell me, when you were already off on the honeymoon?"

"Of course not, Gure-san," Ayame said with a wave of his hand. "I simply had to inform the others first!"

Shigure tipped his head down, feeling rather unwell. "I'm always the last to know," he whimpered. "Always!"

Tohru smiled, "You're getting married! That's so wonderful, Ayame-san! But, may I ask, um, who are you?" She turned her attention to the woman blushing on Ayame's arm, clinging to him almost as if nothing else was around.

The woman smiled, her deep blue eyes twinkling. "I am Sohma Kagome," she said, tilting her head slightly to one side. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Ayame was talking about how much you were blossoming while Hatori drove us here."

Tohru blinked, "Sohma?"

Ayame nodded, "Yes, yes, Tohru-kun! Kagome is related, but very distantly from Yuki-kun and my side of the family. Akito felt it wise to have her married once she was reunited with the family and decided that I, the wonderful Sohma Ayame, was the best candidate." He smiled proudly, "I am honored to be the one who has such a lovely woman to parade around. It means that I have finally gained something that Gure-san has secretly wanted all his life! And I bet that Yuki-kun and Kyonkichi are slightly envious now that they've seen her!"

"Stop calling me that, you bastard!" Kyo yelled, rising from his seat.

Ayame gasped, "Such vulgar language in front of a lady, you should be ashamed Kyonkichi!"

Shigure nodded, "Yes, Aaya is correct. From now on, Kyo-kun, I ban you from using such language while Gome-chan is here!"

"You can't do that!" Kyo hissed.

"I can," Shigure said, crossing his arms, "and I will, by enforcing the fact that you're living underneath my roof."

Kyo grumbled, lowering himself back into his seat, and turned away from them. Glancing at Yuki, he saw that the rat was shaking his head slightly and smiling into his cup of tea. "Why the hell are you so smug, you damn rat?" he growled.

"Nothing," Yuki said.

"Yeah right its nothing," Kyo said. "If you've got somethin' to say, then say it to my face, you damn rat!"

"Now, why would I wish to do that, _Kyonkichi_?" Yuki smirked.

Kyo bristled.

Ayame sighed happily, "Finally, Yuki-kun is showing that he cares!" He turned his head once more, and stared down at the woman simply staying quiet, holding onto him as if he was the only one there. "Ah, my pretty flower, you do not need to be so shy! Speak up, speak up!"

"I…" she blushed looking up at him. "I have nothing to say."

"Such a rare creature you are," Ayame said, gripping her chin between the fingers of his left hand. "Truly beautiful and so caring to another's feeling when you do not wish to hurt them! I do not believe I could have gotten a better woman!"

She blushed a little more, turning her head away. "Um…"

Shigure blinked at them. Smiling, he motioned toward the table and said, "Why don't you take a seat, Gome-chan? I'm sure that all this excitement is a bit overwhelming for even yourself. You should relax and allow us to take care of you, Gome-chan!" A gleam entered his eye and he was slightly stunned when Ayame shot him a small scowl, before nodding, and leading the woman toward the table. Blinking in surprise, Shigure went to follow, only for Ayame to return to him and grip his arm.

"I wished to speak with you alone for a while, Gure-san," Ayame smiled. "I'm sure that my flower will be fine on her own, won't you, Kagome?"

"Oh, yes," she nodded. "I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me."

"If you insist," Shigure said, feeling Ayame tugging him into his study. Once inside, he watched as Ayame shut the door, before turning to take a seat in his chair, sighing a bit as he leaned his head back. "Are you alright, Aaya?"

"Yes, yes," Ayame said. "I'm getting married, after all."

"What is it you wanted to talk about?" Shigure asked. "You seemed so happy, yet you are very tense now." Bringing his hand up, he grasped his chin between his fingers and tilted his head a bit, his eyes questioning. "Is there something wrong? Truly, Ayame, do not lie to me."

Ayame sighed again, waving his hand toward the door, "It is that woman!"

"What's wrong with her?" Shigure asked. "She seemed like the loveliest thing you could ever find, and she is a Sohma."

"Yes, yes, she is very lovely," Ayame said, waving his hand about a bit more. His eyes closed and he scowled a bit, "But she was not something I had planned for myself. I wished to simply run my shop, not have a woman tossed on top of all that!"

Shigure stared, watching as Ayame turned so that he was leaning onto his hand, his elbow propped up onto his desk. "Gome-chan seemed to be very kind, as well. She seemed to care about your feelings more than her own, what more could you ask for?"

"Perhaps a woman that was not simply dumped onto me," Ayame said. "Akito simply decided that she needed to be married once he found her again; that she needed to be with another Sohma who would watch over her and give her children one day. I tried so hard to get Akito to hand her off to Kureno, Hatori, or maybe even you, but Akito decided that I would be the one to hold onto her! I do not know why, I did not exactly care! True, Kagome is very kind, she is always thinking about other people, as I have noticed, but what good is a woman who must be watched every second of the day?"

"Have you asked her what she is able to do?" Shigure asked.

"No," Ayame said. "Why would I wish for such useless information, Gure-san? But, I am positive that Akito merely made this decision because he wanted her to stay within the family, and knew that I run my own store. Akito probably also knew that she is useless, unable to cook or clean or sew or anything that I might find remotely useful in a woman, and thus thrust her into my arms."

"How do you know she can't do those things if you've never asked her, Aaya?" Shigure tried again, prying into the personal life of his old friend. He'd known Ayame to always go with his own feelings and look after himself, but marriage was a big thing, especially if Akito found the woman so important that he chose someone within the family for her to be married to. Or perhaps Akito was waiting for her children to be born? What was so important about her that Akito decided all of this as soon as she was reunited with the family?

Ayame blinked in confusion, but then shook his head. "It is useless to ask such of a woman when you know you'll get the answer 'no'," he said.

* * *

She sat there, a tear running down her face as she listened to the words coming from behind the thin wall. She'd left the children not long ago, feeling the need to be alone, instead of having question after question thrown at her from Yuki and Kyo. Tohru had gone to begin dinner, and she had felt it would be rude to intrude into another's kitchen without permission. Still, she hadn't expected to hear what her to-be-husband actually thought of her. She should have known, Akito was always telling her that she wasn't any good, that she would never be able to please a husband. She should have listened to the family head and never come back to see Hatsuharu. She had missed him, her dearest cousin, and she hadn't been able to stay away.

She hated the fact that she was burden to another person. She hated the fact that she was sitting there listening to Ayame talk of such things. She scowled a little, and her eyes narrowed. She knew she wasn't a burden when it came to those things he'd mentioned, though. She could cook, and she could clean, and she wasn't useless when it came to things around a house. She wasn't useless. She could do it.

Standing, her scowl still in place, she wiped at the tears running down her face. Kagome knew it was just to good to be true when Akito had told her she was going to be married to one of the best in their family. She knew that Ayame was the snake when he transformed, she knew that he was overly confident and seemed to be very fond of his work, but he had no right. Akito had most likely _dumped_ her on him because Akito knew Ayame would instantly come to those conclusions and never ask her anything. Akito was _trying_ to make her a burden to another person.

Eyes widening, Kagome allowed her scowl to disappear. This was Akito's fault. Even if it was, though, she wasn't going to allow Ayame to believe such things. She could do them, and she would. Her head dropped, for she knew that she had no way of doing so. She couldn't suddenly make food appear out of nowhere, but she didn't wish to wait to show him. She wanted to at that moment, to take him something that she had just made in order to show him that she wouldn't be a burden to him, she wouldn't. Not ever, not like the last time.

Turning a corner, she found herself peeking into the kitchen, and watched as Honda Tohru moved around, mostly slicing certain vegetables. Blinking, Kagome smiled when she realized what Tohru was making, and almost silently moved into the kitchen. However, she jumped when the floor squeaked and she heard Tohru give a small cry, turning toward her with wide eyes. Bringing her hands up, she said, "Please forgive me, Tohru-san. I-I merely wished…"

Tohru blinked, "Oh, you scared me, Kagome-san! Is there something you want? Oh, I forgot to ask if you were going to be staying and if you wanted something special for dinner? After all, you're getting married to Ayame-san, and it's only fair to make you something special."

Her eyes dimmed. "I… I actually hoped to make something myself."

Tohru's mouth formed a small 'o', while she blinked again. "Well, if you really want to, Kagome-san, I don't mind."

Lifting her head, she clasped her hands together. "You would allow me to do that?"

"Of course," Tohru beamed.

She looked down, and her eyes lost the slight gleam of happiness they'd contained.

Tohru caught the look, and glanced at the glamorous kimono that the Sohma was wearing. She knew that Ayame had most likely made it. The black fabric was very pretty, especially with the golden designs that matched her light make-up and hairpiece. Smiling, she said, "But you can't wear that, silly. I think I have something that will fit you, or we can get something of Sohma-sama's or Kyo-kun's for you. I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"I wouldn't wish to impose," Kagome said.

"Think nothing of it, Kagome-san!" Tohru said. "Here, we'll go get you out of that kimono and then we can come back and you can make whatever you want to. Oh, may a ask why you wish to make something?"

A sad look formed onto her face. "I wish to prove him wrong."

"Who?" Tohru asked.

"Ayame," Kagome said, clasping her hands together again. She turned her face away, her eyes looking toward the floor. "I heard him say something, and I wish to prove to him that I can do something that he believes I can't. I… I really want to."

Tohru smiled. Tilting her head to one side, she nodded in understanding. She wondered what it was that Ayame had said to make her look so sad, but there was a light in her eyes when she spoke of making her own food. She was sure that whatever she wanted to make, she was an expert at, and she hoped Ayame liked it. She really did.

* * *

"Wow."

"You have truly out done yourself this time, Tohru-chan!" Shigure cheered, tears coming to his eyes as he took another bite of the food set in front of him. He quickly took another, trying to savor the taste, yet wanting to get as much as he could. He wasn't sure if he'd ever tasted anything so good.

"Oh, well, I—" Tohru tried to say, her eyes catching Kagome's. The older woman was simply sipping at the tea in front of her, her eyes downcast as she was given the praise she deserved. Tohru tried to speak, but her eyes turned to Yuki as he nodded, giving her his attention.

"Yes, this meal is most wonderful, Honda-san," Yuki said.

"It is only natural that such a wonderful young woman would be able to create such a masterpiece in her own kitchen," Ayame cheered, smiling brightly. Bringing his chopsticks up to his mouth, he stopped when he noticed something. "Kagome?"

Tohru allowed her head to fall a bit.

"Tohru-chan?"

Kyo glanced up, his mouth stuffed. "Hey… whaa the h'lls wrang wih yu?" He pointed his chopsticks at the two girls, noticing that they were both not eating. Tohru had simply shaken her head at first and set her chopsticks down, but that Kagome chick had not eaten anything at all, her face down.

"Are you alright, Honda-san?" Yuki asked, a frown appearing on his lips. "You stopped eating soon after you started. You need to eat in order to keep your strength up."

"But I—"

"Yes, yes," Shigure said. "We can't have our little Tohru-chan stop eating! Eat, Tohru-chan! Eat!"

Ayame blinked, his head tilting to one side. "Kagome?" he asked again.

Frowning, Tohru clenched her hands. She whispered what she wanted to say, hoping that they'd catch it, since they'd already stopped her from talking twice already. She wanted them to acknowledge the fact that the wonderful food set in front of them was made by Sohma Kagome, not Honda Tohru. She really wanted them to let her tell them that, though she was thankful that they cared about her health, because she'd seen how happy Kagome had looked while working in the kitchen. She'd watched her move, and she'd known that was her environment; she wanted the others to see that.

"_Are you sure?" she asked, glancing back from the pan in front of her._

_Tohru smiled, watching her move. "Oh, yes. I'm positive it'll come out better if you do it yourself."_

_The woman dressed in slightly oversized clothing smiled, continuing with her work. "Thank you, Honda Tohru."_

"_There's no reason to thank me," Tohru blushed._

_She turned completely, a bright smile plastered on her face. "Would you like to try some before the others, Tohru-san?"_

"_Oh, yes!" She came forward, and allowed the elder woman to place the food into her mouth. Her eyes widened and she clapped her hands together while chewing, nodding at the taste. It was very good._

"What was that, Honda-san?" Yuki asked.

"I said…"

Shigure lifted his chopsticks, his mouth opening to talk. He stopped when suddenly another pair of chopsticks was stuffed into his mouth, and Yuki glared at him.

"Allow Honda-san to speak, Shigure-san," Yuki hissed. He then turned his attention toward the girl, his eyes silently telling her to speak.

"I," she whispered, but then frowned at herself. Her voice raised, "I didn't make this food."

Yuki and Kyo blinked, "What?"

Shigure blinked in surprise, as well. "Did you order takeout, Tohru-chan?"

Tohru shook her head.

"Then… who made this food?" Shigure asked.

Ayame's eyes widened, and he stared at the woman sitting next to him. Now that he thought about it, her obi had been tied perfectly by Mine, the woman absolutely loving the fact that Ayame was marrying such a beautiful woman that she could dress up at any given time. The kimono was slightly ruffled now, like it had been taken off and put back on, and her obi was tied only half as good as he remembered it being. "You?" he asked, dropping his chopsticks.

Kagome nodded silently, taking another sip of her tea.

"Gome-chan made this delicious food?!" Shigure gasped. He knew that Ayame should have gotten over his whole 'never ask a woman a question when you already know the answer' crap.

"Yes," Tohru said. "She asked me, and I let her."

"My Kag-chan made this food?" Ayame said, a smile tugging at his lips. He noticed that Kagome was looking at him from the corner of her eye, obviously not used to anyone using such an adoring tone toward her. He wouldn't be surprised; he'd heard some of the things Akito had shouted at her before he'd met her.

"Aaya?" Shigure asked, a little frightened from the twinkle in Ayame's eye. The last time he'd seen that twinkle he had been dressed up in twenty different _girly _outfits, and it still made him shudder to think about it.

Ayame and Kyo moved at the same time, though it was kind of scary to see the snake and cat fighting over the food set on the table. Kyo moved because he'd seen Ayame move, and knew that blasted snake was up to no good and would try to get as much as he could. Ayame moved because he wanted to be the one to eat the most of his future wife's food, just in case she found out what he'd said and refused to make him anything for a long time. Ayame practically growled in Kyo's face, making the cat jump backwards at the sound, not expecting such a sound to come out of the snake's throat.

"Aaya!" Shigure shouted. "What are you doing?"

Ayame paused for a moment, glancing up at his relative. "I'm not going to allow any of you to take more of _my_ Kag-chan's food than me!" he hissed.

"But, Aaya…" Shigure said, "Gome-chan will live with you. You'll be able to eat her food _all_ the time. This is our treat!" He jumped forward, his chopsticks looking like weapons as he shouted the last piece. He growled in Ayame's face, both of them beginning to nearly shovel food into their mouths, barely taking a moment to even swallow.

"I'm the one getting married, Gure-san!" Ayame hissed. "This should be my treat!"

"But you'll just keep Gome-chan to yourself and never bring her here to share those delicious meals you'll get everyday!" Shigure snapped. "This is _our_ treat, Aaya!"

Tohru smiled, beginning to giggle behind her hand, as she watched Kagome's face brighten. Picking her chopsticks up again, she said, "Itadakimasu!"

Yuki shook his head, muttering, "Idiots."

Kyo finally pulled himself off the floor growling, turning his darkening eyes up to the food on the table. Launching himself into the fray between Shigure and Ayame as they tried to eat as much food as they could.

Ayame paused again, and then turned his eyes up to the woman sitting at his side, smiling at him. A smile formed on his lips when she picked up a napkin and wiped the side of his face. "I can't help but wonder, Kag-chan, what else you can do," he said, ignoring the others.

"Well," Kagome said. She tapped her finger against her chin, "I can… cook, clean, sew, and do a lot of other things around a home. My mother was an excellent teacher."

"I must say she was if she taught you how to make such a delicious meal!" Ayame said. "Together, we're perfect! I can make lots of outfits for you to wear around the house, whether you wish to play maid or cook or—" He stopped when her fingers touched his lips, his smile still bright.

"I'd like that, Ayame," she said.

He couldn't stop himself, he hugged her, causing everyone in the room to pause in what they were doing.

A grin formed onto Shigure's lips, and he finally asked, "So, when _is_ the wedding?"

_--Fin_


	33. The Guardian: Urameshi Yusuke

_**Title:** The Guardian_

_**Summary:** They were supposed to get rid of a pack of demons that had somehow managed to cross the barrier. However, they weren't expecting for these juveniles to have taken a hostage. A girl that didn't seem to be special in any way—how wrong they turned out to be._

**Pairing:** Yusuke/Kagome

**Anime:** YYH/IY

* * *

Their eyes widened, watching as the juvenile demon lifted the woman off the ground. They had been told by Koenma that the mission would be very easy because of the inexperience the demons had, but apparently he didn't have all the facts straight. Just like fucking usual.

"Urameshi!" Kuwabara shouted. "Don't just stand there, shoot the damn thing!"

"No," Kurama said, "He'll hit the girl!"

"Yeah, you idiot, Kuwabara!" Yusuke growled. He didn't know what to do. Keiko had broken up with him a few weeks ago, and he was trying to take as many missions as possible to get his mind off of it. He didn't think that one of them would cause him to make a serious decision. Get rid of the juveniles, thus killing the girl, or allow them to go on a rampage?

"Hn," Hiei snorted. "Shoot, detective. One life sacrificed for many? I think the odds are against the girl."

"Hiei," Kurama shook his head, "he can't just do that! Every life is—"

"What the hell!" Kuwabara shouted, his eyes widening further.

"You have it!" the demon hissed. "I know you have it! Give it to me!"

"You know how many times I've heard that?" the girl laughed.

The demon's grip tightened, a growl of frustration filling his throat. "Where are you hiding it, you worthless human? Where?"

"Not anywhere you're going to find it!" she continued to laugh.

"Worthless wench!" the demon spat. "Give me the Shikon no Tama!"

Hiei and Kurama stiffened at those words, both having heard legends and been told many times what exactly the jewel was. How had one human girl gotten her hands onto it? It was said to have been lost for centuries. Kurama narrowed his eyes, his nose sniffing the air lightly. "She's not afraid."

Yusuke lowered his arm, blinking. "What do you mean she's not afraid? She's fucking being held a good four feet above the ground! There's no fucking way she's not afraid!"

"She's not," Hiei added. "Her aura gives away her calm."

"When will you demons learn to get some original material?" the girl asked. Her voice was slightly strained, but otherwise she still seemed quite all right. "Do you want to know how many times I've heard that one, too?"

"Shut up and give me the jewel, wench!"

"Why would I do that?" she chuckled. "I just put the last few pieces together. I don't think that as it's Guardian I should be giving it to strange demons that I don't even know."

"Disgusting human," the demon snapped. "If you won't give me the Shikon, I will kill you and slice your body to pieces until I find it!"

The other juveniles laughed, all of them moving closer in order to hopefully get a piece of her. They watched as their leader raised his hand, but paused at her words. They narrowed their massive eyes, each wondering at her words and the reason why she did not even flinch at the thought of death.

"You'll never find it," she whispered.

The demon growled. "What makes you think that? Once I have the jewel, I will take over this world and there will be nothing those Reikai fools or their pitiful dogs will be able to stop me!" He was laughing by the time he finished, but her next words stopped his laugh halfway through.

"I am the Shikon no Tama, fool," she snapped. "To kill me would be killing the jewel. No wish can be made upon it any longer. The Shikon and I are one, and we will live for all eternity in peace." She swung her hand up, and barely touched the juvenile, before he turned to dust. Her body dropped, but she landed easily, her arms coming up as she faced off with the others.

The others growled. "_Miko_!"

"Anyone know what the fuck just happened?" Yusuke asked.

"Hn, she purified him."

"What the hell does that mean?" Yusuke snapped, turning his eyes until he met the crimson of his companion. However, it appeared that Hiei didn't wish to give away any more information, his eyes instead turning to the sight in front of them.

"A miko is a woman that is taught the art of purification, Yusuke," Kurama tried to explain. "From what I know, they are also taught the healing arts, and long ago they were raised to protect their village from demon attacks. Before the barrier was placed, they were the ones that prevented demons from killing humans. Usually they held a strong hate against demons, and they would kill them upon first sight, but some would only attack demons if they attack their village or themselves first. Then, if anyone had been injured, they would heal them. Once the barrier was placed, though, they were no longer needed and eventually the line disappeared."

"Then how the hell—"

"I do not know," Kurama answered.

"Does anyone else wish to obtain the famed Shikon no Tama?" she taunted.

Three charged at her.

She dropped to the ground easily, the claws of one missing by a few inches. Instantly she rolled to the left, escaping the attack of the second, and then flipped back up onto her feet to evade the final demon. However, once she landed back onto her feet, she moved easily, and quicker than the eye could see, she ended up standing on the shoulder of the third demon. She was smirking, her blue eyes twinkling, as the demon tried to get rid of her. As its claws came closer, she moved again, allowing it to take its own arm, and screech in pain.

Her feet hit the ground, her hands barely grazing the now bleeding demon, before its body turned to dust. Then, she dropped to the ground again, her hands keeping her from landing completely, as her foot tripped another juvenile. It wasn't even able to hit the ground before it to was purified, its ashes floating off into the wind that had picked up.

Yusuke blinked, "How the hell did she do that?"

"Easily," Kurama said, a slight growl in his voice. "A miko's powers attack the demon blood. It literally erases it from existence through the process they call purification. The body is destroyed much in the same way, turning it to dust. It is a terrible way for a demon to die. Not even an honorable death to many, for they are destroyed before they can even touch their opponent."

Yusuke stared for a moment, but then thought better to ask what was wrong. Youko had probably had some type of bad encounter with a miko once and the feelings he'd felt toward their kind was being transferred to Kurama. "Well," Yusuke said, turning his head back toward the fray, as the girl destroyed three more juveniles. "Our missions is still to kill those demons, so we better go help her."

"Hn," came a short response.

Yusuke barely had time to turn, before Hiei was close to the girl, his sword drawn as he slashed through one of them. Yusuke snorted, and raced forward, knowing that Kurama had already gotten into the action when the green whip came flying past him. Kuwabara's battle cry was also heard, but he wanted to get into the middle, where the girl was, in order to take out as many as he could. It'd be fun to see just how many of the large group he could kill, and then rub it in Kuwabara's face later if he killed more than his friend.

His fist slammed into the face of a demon close to him, before he turned to knock another away in the same fashion. They seemed to have realized the threat that the miko was to them and decided to go after them instead, though some where still giving shouts for the "Shikon no Tama" to be given to them. He didn't know what that was, but he had a feeling it shouldn't fall into the hands of these demons. Especially if what the girl said was true and she was really was this jewel, though that really didn't make much sense. But then again, a lot of stuff he'd done over the years didn't make much sense.

He turned his head when he felt the wind shift around him, and found the girl standing close by. Her hair was lifting up as if she was going to go into some type of transformation, her energy swirling around him. He felt it prickle his skin, his own demon blood frightened by the power she radiated, but felt it lessen around him, barely even noticed afterward. His eyes moved past her to the demon she'd obviously stopped from hitting him, and growled.

"Hey, you have to watch your back," she shouted. "You're going to get yourself killed!" Her hand swung out, grabbing hold of the blade that had been aimed for her skull. Blood dripped down from her palm, but she didn't give it any notice, as she pulled the blade forward, wrenching it from the demons hold. In a fluid motion, she flipped the blade into the air and caught it by the hilt, instantly turning it against its owner. Purification energy swarmed down the blade, turning it a holy blue, as it sliced into the demons flesh. The demonic energy from the blade fought against the purification of the miko, but a smirk merely formed onto her lips and a strange energy swarmed down her arm.

Yusuke's eyes widened at the demonic power rushing from the miko's body. He turned in time to quickly put up his hand and let out his Spirit Gun, as four of the juveniles rushed at him. The energy went straight through many of them, none of them having time to get away. However, he'd managed to put a small amount of spirit energy into it, stopping it from being large enough to destroy anything human made close by. Then, his eyes turned back to the supposed miko, watching as a black energy swarmed around her, much like the way Hiei's dragon did whenever he used it. However, when a dragon of black flames didn't appear, he noticed that the form of a very grotesque demon did seem to flicker in and out of existence as if it were apart of her.

Flinging the blade aside, she put her hand out, and released the demonic energy surrounding her. It quickly turned into the form of a large demon, which seemed to be made up of many different demons, like they'd joined together in order to create one body. She fisted her hand, her energy shooting to the surface in order to control the beast, as it turned its sight onto the juveniles quickly coming to know they were going to die. It opened its large mouth, barely giving them any time to move, as it rushed down upon them, instantly swallowing them whole, as the battle began to come to an end.

Yusuke's eyes watched her closely; noticing the exact moment another image appeared behind her. A woman which seemed to have a small resemblance to the miko standing in front of him, but with glowing eyes, armor, and a strange design on her forehead. They were standing in the same stance, as the demon the miko had unleashed turned its attention toward them, growling deeply. He lifted his hand, noticing that it had taken care of the juveniles, but it had now set its sight on the miko who'd unleashed it.

The demon roared, flying at the miko, its jaws opening to swallow her as well. However, she moved, her right hand coming down to grab ahold of a sword that had not been at her side before. She pulled the glowing blade from its sheath, and as the demon neared, the image behind her moved into the same stance, holy energy swirling around them dangerously. When the demon was just ready to eat her, and Yusuke was ready to let loose another Spirit Gun, the miko raised the sword and slip the demons form into pieces.

The roar that followed was loud enough to damage an ear easily, but it suddenly stopped. The energy, dark and malevolent, swirled into the air, forming a dark spiral around the miko as the spirit detectives watched. However, almost as quickly as it had been formed, it pulsed and was absorbed into her body.

Yusuke blinked, looking for the demon. "What the hell just happened?"

"That weird demon was sucked into her flesh," Kuwabara said.

"That _weird demon_," the girl said, "is apart of me. If you want to insult it with idiotic terms, then I suggest you do it when you're not in my presence unless you wish to die, mortal."

They each blinked at the words, though there was a small smirk on Hiei's lips.

"What do you mean by mortal?" Kurama asked, his eyes sharp.

"I mean exactly what I said, avatar," she said, turning toward them. "Excuse me for my rudeness," she bowed, "I am Higurashi Kagome, Guardian and Human Form of the Shikon no Tama."

"Human form?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yes," she said. "I may look human, but I have not been for the last few months."

"Months?" Yusuke asked, taking a step toward her. "You better start talkin'—"

"Yes," she sighed. "When I finished the Shikon no Tama, having to come back to this era in order to find the remaining pieces, the jewel decided to become one with me. In doing so, I gained the powers of both Midoriko and the demon she fought, both of which are trapped inside the jewel in an endless battle. Then, I was summoned to that fool Enma, who wished to have every detail of my transformation given to him. Ever since I have been under constant surveillance, so you can stop with the questioning detective, your boss has all the answers you could ever want about me."

"You were summoned to Enma?" Yusuke asked, his lip tugging in thought of what had probably happened.

"Yes, apparently he'd wished to first extract the Shikon no Tama from me, but as its Guardian I have a status as high if not higher than he," Kagome smirked. "Afterward, he decided that he would allow me to go free, instead of placing me into that disgusting prison I could have easily destroyed, as long as I hid the presence of the jewel. That, however, is no so easy to do when he wants me to stop hiding myself completely in order to watch my movements."

"Really," Yusuke said, "That's interesting. How exactly did you keep him from trying to extract this jewel from you?"

"I pulled rank," she replied. "I told him that if he didn't wish for the Reikai's leadership to be overthrown that he would sit down and shut up."

Yusuke and Kuwabara began to laugh. Hiei and Kurama merely stared, though the smirk on Hiei's lips had widened just a bit.

"Of course, he didn't take to kindly to that, and asked me if I wanted to be thrown into the frozen North of Makai. I kindly reminded him that I could easily use the powers the demon inside the Shikon no Tama gave me in order to travel quickly to another part of Makai. Then, I told him that once there I would unleash the demon that Midoriko had such a hard time destroying upon the Makai, before coming after him," she sighed. "Creatures such as Enma always think they have such great powers that no one would be able to get close enough to harm them."

Yusuke coughed in order to contain his laughter, and then straightened himself. "Well, we're still going to have to take you to the toddler," he said.

"You mean Ko_enma_?" she asked. "I've met him as well. Just tell him my name and leave it at that, detective. He will understand." She turned her head toward the sky, "Besides, I don't wish for another encounter with that _boy_. He was rather rude until he found out from his father exactly who I was and what I have done."

"What you've done?" Kurama asked out of curiosity.

"I saved the past from a hanyou named Naraku, and gathered the shards of the Shikon no Tama," she said. "As was my responsibility when I broke it."

"That's nice and all," Yusuke said, "But we've saved the world, here, in the present."

"Technically, if you wish to put it that way, detective," she scowled, "I 'saved the world' before your ass was conceived."

"Yeah, well I had to go through a tournament filled with demons that wanted to kill me," Yusuke replied.

"I was captured countless times because I could see the shards of the Shikon _and_ faced off with demons that still exist today and lived to tell the tale."

"Well, I had a fucking old woman that was constantly on my ass to train, never giving me a minutes rest until I got everything perfect," he growled.

"I had a hanyou slave-driver who dragged my ass all over the feudal era, spat insults in my face constantly, and even through all that I still followed him. I watched from the background after a piece of my soul was stolen from me as my incarnation came back to life and stole his attention from me. I went into battle with a powerful hanyou without him because a dead woman called upon him, only to nearly be killed when he showed. I _went_ into countless battles with little experience, having to rely on instincts just to keep my ass alive without any training," she hissed. "And throughout it all I still stayed alive."

"Well, I've died!" Yusuke shouted.

"I've had my soul stolen from me many times," she spat. "Dying is one thing, trying having your soul painfully sucked from your body and then watching as your body is controlled in order to kill your closest friends."

"I've died more than once!"

"Then you're stupid," she replied. "That's not my problem."

"Wench!"

"Bastard," she said. "You do know that an eye for an eye eventually makes the whole world blind, correct?"

"What the hell does that mean?" Yusuke threw up his hands.

"And Koenma made _you_ his top spirit detective?" Kagome laughed. "Seriously?"

Yusuke glared at her.

"Personally," she said, "I would rather have Hiei be the leader of any team I made, than you."

Kurama blinked, "You know each other?"

"Who, me and Hiei?" she asked.

Kurama nodded.

"Oh, yeah," she smiled. "He sometimes sleeps in the Goshinboku, which resides on the grounds of the shrine my family owns. It is very peaceful; I can understand why he'd pick that place to rest. Especially now, when I've placed a memory barrier around the shrine."

"Memory barrier," Kuwabara asked, his eyes still shifting between Yusuke and Kagome. He didn't like the fact that Yusuke had suddenly gone off into an argument with a girl he didn't know, but he was curious about this 'memory barrier'.

"A barrier that… _remembers_ a persons aura and allows only demons I trust to pass. I cannot stop humans from coming to the shrine unless they have stepped upon the grounds and I force them to leave," she frowned.

"Strange…" Kurama said. "I could have sworn he told Yusuke earlier to merely kill you."

"_What!_" she hissed, but her attention quickly turned away to the apparition.

"Hn."

"Hiei, you're only saying that because you don't like him," she spat. "I can't stop Hojo from coming to the shrine, my mother would have a fit. Besides, he's just a naïve boy who will eventually figure out that I have no interest in him, especially when I will outlive him."

Hiei glared at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I say that aloud?" she giggled nervously. "Forget I said that."

"Little hard to do when it already came out of your mouth," Yusuke said.

"I could always ask Hiei to erase your memory," she hissed.

"Hn, I wouldn't go anywhere near that thing he calls a mind," Hiei muttered.

"Good point," she said. "I don't blame you, I wouldn't either."

"Hey!" Yusuke shouted. "Stop talking about me when I'm standing right here!"

"Oh, of course, I wouldn't want to hurt the 'oh great spirit detectives' feelings," she smirked.

"Urameshi, stop shouting at her, she's a girl!"

"Yes, listen to your friend, _Urameshi_," she chuckled.

"Like hell I'd listen to Kuwabara's stupid code crap!" Yusuke snapped.

"Hey!" Kuwabara shouted.

"Why in the world are you so quick to snap, detective?" she asked. "I have done nothing wrong, yet for nearly the last eight minutes you've been trying to argue with me. Strange, but I seem to remember a certain hanyou who couldn't admit he liked him that did the same thing."

"Yeah, like I'd ever like an ugly girl like you," Yusuke snorted.

"Ugly?" she asked. "Wow, that was cre-aaaa-tive."

"Tch."

"Well, as interesting as this is," she sighed, "I must return home. I merely came here because I felt the spike in demonic activity. But, I really must be going, considering the fact I have a powerful artifact that Enma made me guard sitting on my… desk… crap!"

She swung around, glaring at Hiei. "Don't you dare start that! If Souta gets his hands onto that thing there's going to be chaos at my house! Think of what could happen to the Goshinboku, Hiei!"

"Hn, like I care about that stupid tree." Hiei turned his gaze away, not liking the look that came over her face.

"Oh, so you sleep there just to look into my room?" she asked. She knew it sounded like he'd said something to her telepathically from the way she'd waited a moment to say so. "Cause, I have noticed the way you're always on that branch outside my window."

Kuwabara began to laugh. "The shrimp…!"

Hiei glared, his claws gently tapping against the hilt of his sword.

She smirked, and then took a step toward Yusuke. "Good day, detective! I do hope that we'll have the _pleasure_ of seeing each other again!" she reached up, and pinched his cheek as hard as she could between her fingers, before jumping back, waving, and almost seeming to disappear.

Kurama blinked. "That was certainly interesting. I do not believe I have ever heard of such a miko."

"Hn."

Kuwabara continued to laugh. "The… shrimp…"

Yusuke glared in her direction, his hand coming up to sooth the place she'd grip his cheek between her fingers. "Come on," he said, flipping open his communicator. "We don't have time to stand here all day." His eyes turned to Hiei. "Though, you're going to tell us exactly where this shrine is so that I can repay that bitch for pinching me."

"Hn."

"That better be a yes, Hiei."

"Hn."

Yusuke scowled. "Bastard."

Kurama smiled. "If it wasn't for your tone, I would have sworn you wished to see her again, Yusuke."

"What!" Yusuke shouted. "See that bitch again! No way! I'd rather she rot in hell!"

"Of course, Yusuke," Kurama smiled.

"Stop giving me that look!"

_--Fin_


	34. Damned: Kohaku

_**Title:** Damned_

_**Summary:** He was told to kill her, but his master decides at the last moment to change his mind._

**Pairing:** Kohaku/Kagome

**Anime:** Inuyasha (IY)

**WARNING:** What is implied may not appeal to everyone, considering the fact Kohaku is merely 13 or so in age within the one-shot.

* * *

She ran, her feet hitting the ground far to loudly for her likely. Her breath was coming out faster, as she tried to take deeper breathes in order to keep running, but knew that her body wouldn't hold up much longer. Glancing over her shoulder, she allowed her eyes to widen when she saw that the one following her was raising their weapon. A small cry left her throat as she hit the ground, her foot tripping over a large rock, twisting her ankle further than it should have been.

The weapon flew over her head, and she heard her quiver hit the ground. She knew it wasn't any use to her, as her hand gripped her bow, since she had no more arrows. She knew that she wouldn't be able to use it in order to protect herself, and she wasn't even sure if she would protect herself if it meant killing the one following her. She didn't want to kill him, not when she knew that he was being controlled. He didn't have any freewill; it wasn't fair to hurt him when he really didn't know what he was doing.

Turning her face toward him, her eyes gazed into his blank orbs. She wondered if Naraku was making him smirk or frown or scowl or smile behind his mask. She wondered if Naraku was able to do such a thing, and hated it. Hated the fact that Naraku controlled him, since she had had the pleasure of once being controlled herself, against her freewill. She was positive, she was, that if he had the choice, he wouldn't choose to do what he was doing, and for that she hated Naraku more.

"K-Kohaku," she gasped.

"Kagome," he said emotionlessly.

She shivered, for she could have sworn she heard Naraku's laughter behind the voice. The youth that was most likely older than her own brother, but a few years younger than herself, was shadowed by a dark light in her eyes when she heard it. So many times she'd heard it, yet even now she shivered in disgust and fear. She knew it made her weak, but that laughter was something that caused her to tense, wondering from which direction the hanyou would come flying out at her from.

Tears filled in her eyes, as she tried to move away. She knew she wouldn't get far, her ankle hurt far too much for her to walk, she couldn't run much farther, and crawling wasn't exactly going to do her any good. She was defenseless, she knew she could die, and it frightened her. Frightened her so much because she knew that Kohaku had chased her deep into the forest, deeper than she should have gone, and two of Naraku's incarnations were fighting with her friends.

She was at the mercy of her best friend's younger brother, a boy controlled by her enemy.

"Kagome," he said again, his hand rising into the air. His weapon gleamed in the sunlight coming through the parted trees. He almost seemed to be mocking her, though his eyes were completely blank, no life seen within their dark depths. Through his eyes his master watched, silently waiting for the moment that his weapon sliced through the young woman's neck and her blood burst from the wound into the air. Through his body his master would truly be the one to take pleasure in the woman's death, for somewhere in his soul she reminded him of someone, yet at the same time she was a strong and beautiful individual all her own.

A woman. A beautiful older woman dressed so indecently.

Unlike anything he'd ever seen until his master took ahold of him.

Laughter filled his ears, his minds eye focusing on her neck, almost like he was locking onto his target. His breathing thinned out, his eyes trailing over the length of her thin neck, before he raised his weapon a little higher. The demon bone gleamed along the point, catching his eye for only a moment, before he focused his attention back onto the helpless woman at his feet. His eyes darkened further, the blank stare intensifying, as he prepared himself for the strike.

"P-please, Kohaku!" she whimpered. "Y-you'll hurt S-Sango-chan's feelings… You'll…"

"Kagome."

The way her name slipped from his mouth was the most frightening thing about him at that moment, since she was sure he only knew her name because of Naraku. She allowed her bottom lip to quiver, her hand clenching the soft grass beneath her. The mask prevented her from seeing his lips move, and she was afraid that her name would fall from his lips once more, but he stayed silent, simply staring at her. Her tears began to fall, her eyes moving up his arm and gazing upon the weapon that she knew could end her life.

Whimpering again, she tried, "Y-you don't have t-to be under N-Naraku's con-control, Kohaku. P-please, don't—don't do this."

Orders were whispered into his ear, almost like a wind blew past him with the words riding it as if it were its wings. His blank eyes lowered a bit from her neck, searching for the spot he'd been told she usually kept the prize he now sought. His eyes narrowed a little, and he stepped forward, watching as she tried to scoot backwards from him. His arm lowered, and he saw her breathing begin to slow a bit, before he took a step forward, and she once again tried to scoot away from him.

"W-what a—" she squeaked.

His sickle dropped from his hand, the tip digging into the ground, as he took another step forward. His hand wrapped around the chain, dragging it behind him as he moved forward. Her back hit a tree, stopping her movements, as he knelt in front of her. With a shift movement, the sickle was back in his hand, and he leaned over her, his blade cutting into the front of her shirt, slicing it down the middle.

She squeaked loudly, her eyes widening as her shirt fell open. She tried to stop him, but his hand grabbed onto the chain she'd strung around her neck, the bottle at the end containing four shards. His eyes, she noticed, weren't on the bottle, or the chain, and a blush rose onto her cheeks as she crossed over arms over her bra. She got a sudden image of Souta staring at her while she was dressing, and her blush darkened, though she knew this was not _her_ younger brother—not that that made the situation any brighter.

"K-Kohaku," she whispered.

He did not speak this time, his hand bringing the bottle up so that his blank eyes could look at the glittering pieces of the Shikon no Tama. Afterward, he tucked the jar away in his slayer outfit, and turned his attention back to the girl sitting in front of him. His hand tightened on his weapon, and his eyes caught hers, noticing the frightened look that was etched so deeply inside of them.

_'Now… kill her…'_

His body shifted forward once more, his mind instantly replying with his answer. His dark eyes caught hers once again, his hand coming up to grab ahold of her chin in order to keep that stare. His other hand lifted his sickle so that the point was pressed against her throat and she whimpered. Pressing a bit harder, he knew that he'd drawn blood, before he swung his hand out. The blade glinted again in the sunlight, and on impulse, his eyes shifted downward.

A chuckle entered his head, his body acting strangely while he took in the sight of the strange cloth she wrapped around her chest. His eyes narrowed a bit in thought, his feet shifting, before he went to strike. The sickle made of demon bone moved through the air swiftly, while the woman at his feet began to scream.

'…_Wait…'_

The tip halted directly before it touched her.

'_I have a better plan… Kukuku…_'

Kohaku listened intently, his body shifting forward once more. The woman tried to lean backwards, but the tree she'd positioned herself in front of stopped her movements. Bringing his hand up, he slammed the tip of his weapon deep into the trunk of the tree, his fingers tightening on her chin. She was still whimpering, her scream dying on her lips when she opened her eyes to realize he had not taken her life. After the weapon was secure, he reached up, and pulled at the ties on his mask, allowing it to fall to one side.

Kagome's eyes widened, trying to lean further back when Kohaku invaded her personal space. "Kohaku," she whispered, her tongue darting out for a moment to try and moisten her dry lips. Her eyes widening even further when he leaned over her, his nose coming close enough that he was touching her own. Her breathing once again began to pick up; wondering exactly was going to happen to her. Her ankle still hurt, and she knew the taijiya-trained boy could overpower her.

"Yes, Master Naraku," he said, and then captured her lips with his own. She gasped, and he took the opportunity to press her completely against the tree at her back. Her hands came up to try and push him away, but he was relentless, pressing closer to him, his own hands gripping her upper arms.

* * *

"Do you think he would hurt her?" Miroku shouted over the wind, his hands gripping Kirara's fur. He was worried, while his eyes watched the red form of Inuyasha rush through the forest.

"I-I don't know…" Sango said, shaking her head.

"He's under Naraku's control!" Shippo cried. "Naraku could make him do anything, couldn't he?"

"We're not sure how strong Naraku's control is," Miroku replied. "Kohaku may be able to break free before he harms, Kagome-sama."

Sango's eyes turned downward. "I hope so."

"But—" Shippo began.

"We mustn't think the worst," Miroku said. "We must have hope."

_Kohaku_, Sango thought. Worry gripped her tightly, she didn't want for her brother to have harmed the girl she'd come to think of as her family. She didn't want her blood to harm anyone within her group, her new family—the family she had found because of the man who held her true brother under his control. _Please… please…_

"Sango."

"Houshi," she muttered. She turned her eyes back, and then tensed.

"You must have faith, Sango!" Miroku said.

"Pervert!" she shouted, slamming her fist against his head. His hand left her backside, and she hissed through her teeth. "The next time you touch me, I'm going to have Kirara fly as high as she can and push you off!"

Kirara paused for a moment at the words, before she swung her body around a tree that she nearly hit.

"Kirara, faster!" Sango snapped, her head swinging around to see the grinning monk behind her. She snorted at him, and felt Kirara's body burst with more speed, flying through the forest with as much speed as she could without slamming into the trees surrounding them. Her eyes widened when she saw Inuyasha's halted form, and wondered what was wrong with him, before Kirara swept up beside him, her form coming to a stop almost instantly.

Their eyes widened as they watched Kohaku pulled on the rest of his slayer outfit, and then shifted their gaze to the whimpering Kagome. There was a scratch across her chest, but otherwise she looked fine… except the fact she wasn't wearing anything. Which lead their eyes to the bruising between her thighs, and Sango's gasp filled the air as she leapt off Kirara's back. "Kohaku!" she shouted, disbelief filling her voice.

Inuyasha finally snapped out of his daze, and snarled. "You bastard!" he shouted, his nose taking in the scents filling the clearing. His eyes took in Kagome's flushed appearance, her bruising, and clicked the pieces together. "I'll kill you!"

Kohaku's blank eyes stared at him while Inuyasha jumped forward. His hand moved forward, and a blast filled the area, smoke flooding up into the superior nose of the inu-hanyou. He knew somewhere exactly what affects it would have on the hanyou, and he knew that the others would stay in order to help him through them. A small look of satisfaction filled his eyes, while he turned toward the girl.

'_Bring her to me, Kohaku._'

"_KAGOME_!"

With a single leap, he landed next to the slightly shaking woman, gathered her larger form into his arms and raced into the forest. His navigation of the area took him toward a stream, though he knew that Kagura would most likely find him before he reached it.

His eyes shifted down to the flushed, naked woman he was carrying, and somewhere deep within his soul, he wished he did not have to give her to his master. He knew exactly what his master could do, and somewhere inside of him he cared. Cared for the older woman who resembled another, yet was someone completely different in his eyes. But what his master wanted he would have, for his body was under his control at that moment, and there was nothing he could do.

Because deep in his soul, he was just a little boy who wanted to die for killing his own family.

He was a little boy that loved, though he knew not why.

He was Kohaku.

_--Fin_


	35. Just a Little: Orochimaru

_**Title:** Just a Little_

_**Summary:** He needed a new body, but he got more than he bargained for._

**Pairing:** Orochimaru/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

They are both a little _sick_.

A little twisted.

…

"I don't want to share my body with you," she mumbles.

"You have no choice," he chuckles. "Because now it is my body."

"But—"

"You should be dead," he scowls. "So be silent."

…

They are both a little abnormal.

A little atypical once together.

…

"Why don't you just take his body?" she asks.

"Do you wish to get rid of me so quickly?" he smirks.

"Yes," she replies. "I wish you gone."

"Your soul should be destroyed," he says. "In order to leave room for me. You will not question me in my own body."

"It is my body," she whispers through the bars.

"It _is_ my body," he hisses. "And soon I shall have a better body, one which I understand."

"Do you not understand a body?" she asks. "A female body?"

"I do not understand you."

…

He was just a little mad.

And she was just a little depressed.

…

His eyes take in the power just behind the bars, watching silently as her form shakes.

"I don't like you," she says.

"I don't like you still being here," he hisses.

"I want you gone."

"You should be gone," he replies. "Your power should be mine!"

"Why don't you retrieve your _new_ Uchiha body?" she asks.

He blinks. "I have found you have more power than him."

"Do I?"

"Yes," he snaps. "Now give it to me!"

"I can't…" she whispers. "I can't."

…

They were both a little lonely.

A little lost.

…

"I need it," he reminds her.

"I know," she says again.

"Give me your power," he says. "Give me the use of your strange powers."

"You do not know what it is?" she smiles.

"No, you're foreign and I care not," he scowls. "I want it, and you will give it to me."

"I hate you," she says.

"I believe I've heard that one," he smirks. His snake-like eyes watch her closely, as she turns her head toward him. His hand grazes the seal, which holds her there, and wonders.

"You've tried," she reminds him. "You cannot release me."

"Then lend me your powers!" he shouts.

"No, you'll only abuse it," she whispers. "Now go away."

…

He was sinking slowly.

She was falling.

…

Her hand touches the bars, "I want out."

He smirks, "You have already reminded me many times that I cannot release you, or your strange power. The only way you can possibly escape is when I leave you."

"Then leave," she scowls. "I hate this place."

"Do you?" he asks.

"I want to see the sunlight," she murmurs. "I want to feel the wind, and to walk along the forests. I want to make new friends."

"I have made you new friends," he replies.

"They're not my friends," she says, laying her head on her knees. "They're your minions."

"What is the difference?"

"Everything," she replies. "_Everything_."

…

He wants more power.

She wants to be free.

…

"Will you lend me your powers now?" he asks. "I am not able to use my jutsu, we will surely suffer great wounds."

"Then flee," she whispers.

"I will not flee from leaf shinobi," he growls.

"Then why are you complaining?" she asks. "Make your _friends_ take care of them."

He glowers at her.

She glances up. "What would you do with it?" she whispers.

"Hm?" he smiles.

"Will you… abuse it? Or will you simply use it in order to get rid of them?" she asks.

"You would be the one to decide," he says.

"How?"

"You are the one who decides how much to give me." His smile turns to a smirk, and he leans forward just a little, waiting, watching.

"Will you ever leave?"

"Perhaps," he replies. "Perhaps."

…

He is weak.

She is powerful.

…

"I won't," she says. "You'll only abuse it again."

"Worthless girl!" he yells. "Give me your power! Now is my chance to obtain my perfect body!"

"So, I am not perfect?" she asks. "I believe I am the one who holds all the power on this side."

"Fool!" he snaps. "Feed me!"

"Feed?" she asks. "What a strange way to ask."

"I must obtain Uchiha Sasuke's body! I must!" he yells.

"Why, weren't you enjoying your stay within mine?" she asks, a frown forming onto her lips. She does not like that thought, though she doesn't actually know why.

"GIVE IT TO ME!"

She hesitates in her answer, seeing the madness glowing in his eyes. Then, knowing she is a little mad too, she allows the power to seep underneath and through the bars. It swirls in the air, the blue purification energy entering his body, while she merely blinks.

"YES!" he yells in glory. "Yes, Uchiha Sasuke's body is mine!"

For a small moment, she is almost happy for him.

…

They are both a little defenseless.

A little _weak_.

…

"You failed?" she asks.

"Yes, damn it," he hisses. "I failed."

"You still have me," she reminds him.

"I do not want this body anymore!" he shouts at her. "Do you not understand? Do you think I wish to be stuck with your annoying voice inside my head for the rest of your body's existence?"

"You could find another body," she says. "One better than Uchiha Sasuke's."

"Do you not understand?" he says, trying to reach her through the bars. "I want his body more now than ever before."

"Why?" she asks.

He grins, madness clear on his face. "Because when I have it, I will use it to revive the _Uchiha_ clan."

"You will?" she asks. She knew that story well. "With who?"

"With you," he grins wider.

Her face pales, though her heart pounds.

"With you," he says again, laughter rising in his throat.

…

They are both a little _sick_.

A little… _twisted_.

…

"With me?" she asks again, her hands pressing against the bars that separate them.

"Yes," he replies, his eyes widening. "Your power is great. Combined with Uchiha Sasuke's clan it would be even greater… and it would be mine."

"Ours," she whispers.

His eyes narrow, but he nods. "Yes, _ours_."

She looks downward, and then looks back up, catching his eyes with hers. "I will give you enough."

He frowns, not understanding.

"I will give you more," she says. "More power. Then you will have Uchiha Sasuke's body!"

He smiles, once again trying to reach her.

She does the same, but their hands are stopped from touching one another. "You will have his body… and I… I shall have you…"

"Yes," he says.

…

Together, they are a little mad.

A little sick.

A little twisted.

…

She smiles. "I will see you on the outside, Orochimaru."

He smiles. "Yes."

"I hope that you will be pleased with your new body," she laughs. "For I am pleased to have mine returned to me."

He becomes concerned. "What if it does not work?"

"It will work… now go," she says.

The bars of her cage fly open, and light swarms around her as her power works to place the other soul residing inside her body into the body lying at her feet. Her power spreads out, and almost instantly she finds herself alone. But not so alone.

…

Just a little…

…

He smirks, "Hello."

She smiles. "Hello."

"My name," his new voice draws out, "is Uchiha—"

"My name," she says in the same instance, "is Higurashi—"

"—Sasuke."

"—Kagome."

…

…_sick._

_--Fin_


	36. Number One: Zane

**_KibaSin:_** Forgive me for this one, I haven't watched an episode of Yu-Gi-Oh or Yu-Gi-Oh GX for quite some time, and I was writing this when I was watching it about two months ago. So, the ending might be a little out of character for a few of them from YGO GX.

* * *

_**Title:** Number One_

_**Summary:** She was used to being number one when it came to duel monsters all her life. She was positive that she'd receive the highest marks and be number one on everything at Duel Academy!_

**Pairing:** Zane/Kagome

**Anime:** Yu-Gi-Oh GX/IY

* * *

"What?" came a startled voice that was instantly recognized as Chazz Princeton, as he gazed at the chart with the Dorm Switch Exam results. His fingers trembled slightly as he gazed at his name, and wondered slightly how the hell this had happened. "Third!?! Chazz Princeton is never third!"

Jaden Yuki, standing next to Alexis, leaned forward, "You got third, Chazz?" Once he was sure he caught the attention of the Obelisk, he blinked, "I don't think that's so bad."

"So bad?" Chazz hissed. "There must be a mistake! There is no way I got third! Chazz Princeton never gets third!"

"Whoa, calm down, Chazz, it's no big deal," Jaden laugh nervously, seeing the fury behind Chazz's eyes. It was being directed at him, and he lifted his hands in defense. "Besides, don't take it out on me, it wasn't my fault."

Alexis sighed, "He's right, you know." Seeing Chazz deflate, she ran her hand down the list. "Fourth…" she blinked in surprise, "Oh."

"You got fourth, Alexis?" Syrus asked. "Wow, there must be someone here who's really good."

"Or cheated," Chazz grumbled.

Alexis smiled, "Well, I doubt the person cheated, but they must be very good." Running her hand down further, she announced, "Well… it appears that you two would have passed, if it weren't for the person who knocked Chazz and I to third and fourth. Sorry."

"Oh, that's alright," Jaden said, grinning. "Hey, has anyone seen Zane lately?"

"He probably came earlier," Alexis smiled. She turned when she heard a voice asking for people to move, and saw the newest addition to the Slifer Dorm. "Jaden, isn't that the new transfer student who extended the date for the Dorm Switch Exam?"

"Huh?" Looking to where Alexis was pointing, he noticed that there was a person trying to squeeze through everyone to get to the bulletin board. He was glad he was friends' with Alexis, or he probably would have had to wait all day just to find out that he'd failed. Nodding, he scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, that's Kagome. She got here… ah…"

"A week before the exam was supposed to be held," Syrus said. "She's very nice, and she's always saying that she's glad there wasn't a Slifer Red uniform for girls… something about how short her old schools skirt was."

Chazz was back to looking at the board, and his eyes narrowed. "Her name wouldn't happen to be Higurashi, would it?"

"Yeah, Higurashi Kagome," Syrus nodded. "She came from Japan, which is why her surname is said first. Why?"

"Because," Chazz glared, "her name is above mine."

"Really!" Jaden shouted, nearly pushing the Obelisk out of the way in order to see. Scrolling down, he saw that Kagome's name was indeed in the second position, which made her an official Obelisk. "That's awesome, I didn't know she was that good. I've asked her to a duel once, but I kind of slept in when we were supposed to, and she told me she wasn't going to give me a second chance. Man, now I have to duel her!"

There were whispers throughout the crowd standing around them, each one of them shocked that a girl had gotten a higher score than Chazz Princeton. They parted for the girl, each staring at her as she moved by them. The Obelisks couldn't help but wonder if they'd have to start calling her the Queen of the Obelisks, since she got a higher score then both Chazz and Alexis.

Jaden turned when he saw her, startling the girl as he suddenly grabbed her shoulders. "I didn't know you were that good, Kagome."

She smiled a little, "What are you talking about, Jaden?"

"I never imagined that someone would actually get a higher score than Chazz, well, besides Zane—"

"Shut up, Slifer Slacker," Chazz growled coldly.

"You have to let me duel you sometime!" Jaden grinned. "I mean, the second highest score is really good," he stopped when he noticed that she'd tensed, staring at him in disbelief.

"Second…?"

"Ah, that's really good, Kagome…"

She grinned, shaking her head, "That's a really funny joke, Jaden, but I'm sure that I didn't get second."

He blinked, "There's no reason to be modest. Getting second is a really good thing."

"You aren't joking?" she asked, her eyes hardening.

Chazz snorted, "Of course not; if it wasn't for this stupid board, which was obviously tampered with, I wouldn't even allow him to say it. There's—"

"—got to be a mistake," Kagome finished, having started when Chazz had. "I get first in everything when it comes to duel monsters."

"First?" Jaden and Syrus asked.

She shoved past Jaden, and looked down the list. Indeed, her name was next to the second highest score. Staring at it in disbelief, she replied that there had to be a mistake, and looked up to the highest score. _Zane Truesdale,_ her mind hissed. Growling, her voice came out coldly, "Higurashi Kagome does not play second fiddle." Her eyes lit up with a hidden fire, "Especially not to some _boy_."

They watched as she stalked away, her arms crossed and her body language telling others that she was ready to lash out at everything and everyone. It was obvious to each of them that she was very serious when she'd said she didn't play second fiddle. They only hoped that Zane was ready for a girl who wanted to prove she wasn't going to have a lower score than anyone.

Jaden shuddered, "She's really scary."

"Yeah," Syrus sighed.

"I think there's going to be some tension from now on," Alexis sighed. "She looked really serious, and I doubt Zane is going to get even an hour of rest before she proves what she said. Its obvious she's not used to getting anything that wasn't first place."

Jaden nodded, "I think she was worse than Chazz!"

"And she was so nice before," Syrus sighed. "I wonder why this upsets her so much."

"Shut up, Slifer Slacker!"

"Without the insults," Jaden grinned. _I'm so going to get that duel! Sooner or later, I will!_

* * *

She lowered her duel disk, her eyes staring in disbelief as her most powerful monster shattered to pieces and her life points dropped to zero. Clenching her hand, she stared at the boy who seemed clam and collected, not affected at all by her anger and disbelief. "How did you…" she wasn't able to finish the sentence and tried another, "You shouldn't have been able to…"

"There's more to dueling than simply winning," he replied.

She shook her head, "But I… I never lose…" Tears of anger gathered in her eyes, "I don't lose, and I won't lose to you, Zane."

He merely shook his head, and turned to walk away.

"Where do you think you're going!"

"Back to my dorm," he replied.

She clenched her hand so hard that her nails bit into her skin and drew blood. Raising it in challenge, she yelled, "You just wait, Zane! I'll beat you, I will!" Her breathing slowed to a normal pace, her eyes turning toward the ground. "I will," she whispered.

Her breathing was back to normal, but she could still feel her heart pounding against her chest. What was it about that boy that did these things to her? All these years she'd dueled and never had an opponent managed to get underneath her skin so well. Maybe it was because he had beaten her three times already, or maybe it was because he didn't seem intimidated by the fact that she was trying to do anything in order to beat him. She didn't know. Her eyes lowered a bit more, glancing at her duel disk as her graveyard was ejected, allowing her to put her deck back together for her next duel.

Angry for allowing someone to get to her so much, she grabbed her cards and clenched her hand around them. Flipping them over, she spread them out, gazing at her deck of dragons, warriors, and light-type monsters. Gripping them harder, she thrust her hand out, disgusted with them suddenly. They slipped from her fingers, fluttering to the ground underneath her, while she kicked at the dirt. She was ready to leave the stupid cards and never pick up the game again, when she heard footsteps.

"Kagome, why are your cards on the ground?"

Lifting her eyes, she saw that Jaden, Syrus, and Alexis were standing in front of her. Frowning, she turned her head away, "It's none of your concern, Jaden. Don't worry about it."

Jaden leaned down, picking up the baby dragon card at his feet. "You shouldn't get mad at your cards because you lost, Kagome. They've been with you forever, haven't they?"

"Yes. They're my favorite cards, but what's the point of keeping them when I can't use them correctly?" she asked.

Alexis stepped forward, also leaning down at pick up some of the fallen cards. "It's not that you can't use them correctly, Kagome. It's that you're so used to winning, using them in a certain way, that you can't adjust yourself to a new situation. I watched you duel against Zane the first two times, and I noticed that you lose because you put too much faith in your cards that you begin to lose confidence when someone begins taking out your more powerful cards. You just need to keep your confidence and learn how to use your cards a bit differently, perhaps using your weaker cards while using your more powerful cards in order to adjust to new situations."

She huffed, "I adjust to new situations just fine."

Syrus nodded. "But Alexis is right. Its not your cards, but the fact that my brother knows how to use his cards in order to take yours down before you can put together the sequence of cards you're so used to playing. You're not used to that."

Jaden smiled, nodding as well. Picking up the next card closest to him, he stood. Walking over to Kagome, he dusted the deck off a little, and took the cards Alexis had picked up. "Here you go, Kagome. I'm sure that you'll beat Zane sometime. But until then you just need to know that dueling is about having fun, not winning. Yeah, you can win and feel good about it, but having fun is a lot more important."

"He said something similar," she mumbled. "He always does."

"That's my brother for you," Syrus said. "He might not seem like it, but he does try to help others as best he can. He's probably only continuing to duel you each time you ask because he's trying to teach you that."

"I don't need to learn it," she snapped. Her eyes narrowed, her heart pounding once more as his image flashed in her mind. "I won't be second, I won't." She stalked off afterward, stuffing her cards back into her duel disk.

Jaden frowned. "Here I thought we were making progress."

Alexis looked thoughtful. "Maybe we are."

"What do you mean, Alexis?" Jaden asked.

"When she said she wouldn't be second, there was a look in her eye. A look that tells me we are beginning to get through to her… or Zane is beginning to get through to her," Alexis smiled.

"Huh?"

"Don't worry about it right now, Jaden," she said. "When the time comes, you'll understand."

Syrus blinked. _Kagome likes my brother?_

* * *

"Duel me!"

"The point of that being?"

"I'll finally get to prove that I am number one when it comes to duel monsters!" Kagome growled. "I won't be second best to a boy."

Zane gave her a disappointed look. His lips dipped down in a frown, and his head shook slightly to each side. "I expected someone like you to come to understand that dueling is not just about winning and being the best."

"Says you," she growled.

His frown deepened. "I won't duel you again until you come to understand that. Maybe you should try taking that lesson from Jaden or someone who understands it, when clearly you cannot." Turning from her, he shook his head once more. What would it take to make her understand what he wanted her to understand? No matter how interesting she was she didn't deserve his attention until she knew that dueling _was_ more than simply winning or losing.

She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Fine, I'll go find Chazz and duel him!" she huffed. "He's been bugging me about it so much that I'm almost afraid he's beginning to become obsessed with showing that he's better than a girl."

He continued to walk away.

She scowled, wondering for a moment why her taunt didn't work. "Fine! Walk away! Chazz will provide more entertainment with his whining when he loses than you'll ever provide anyone!"

* * *

"Syrus?"

The boy jumped, and then turned his attention toward the girl knelt beside him. "Oh, ah, Kagome, what a pleasant surprise!"

"I'm sorry that I scared you," she frowned.

He raised his hand and waved it frantically. "Oh, you didn't do that…" he laughed nervously.

She smiled. "Alright. Um, but that's not what I wanted."

He nodded. "What was it you wanted then?"

"Why is it that Zane won't pay any attention to me anymore?" she asked. She wanted to know, the boy had refused to duel her for nearly two weeks. All that time she'd had Chazz Princeton on her tail trying to duel her. She was starting to think that people were getting the wrong impression from the way they'd point toward them whenever Chazz did that, but she didn't care all that much anymore. She wanted to know why the boy she had grown interested in wasn't paying attention to her anymore.

"Ah… I don't know," Syrus frowned. "I'm sorry."

"He won't duel me anymore," she said, looking off toward the Ra Dorm. "He doesn't even acknowledge the fact that I'm there. I don't like it."

"Have you ever tried… doing anything besides dueling him?" Syrus asked.

"No," she replied. "I'm not… good at stuff like that. I've always looked to duel monsters since… well, you really don't need to know that." She sighed. "I've never been one to actually say what I really feel, you know?"

Syrus nodded. "I understand."

She tilted her head to one side.

"Maybe… maybe you could try losing and then walking away," Syrus added. "I know that you want to beat Zane, but maybe he wants you to simply show the fact that you can lose and not make a big deal out of it. To have fun."

She frowned deeper, but knew that that was something she could try. Nodding once, she stood, and crossed her arms. "I think I might try that," she said. "Thank you, Syrus."

"You're welcome, Kagome," Syrus smiled.

As she walked away, Jaden came running into the area. "Was that…" he panted, "Kagome?"

"Yeah?" Syrus said.

"NO!" Jaden shouted. "I wanted to ask her to duel me!" He rushed off in the same direction Kagome had gone, shouting, "Kagome! Kagome, wait! Please, Kagome, just one duel! Please!"

* * *

Sucking in a deep breath, she lowered her duel disk and turned away. She told herself once again to not say anything, that that would just make things worse. She would start yelling, and then Zane would give her that disappointed glare and walk away. Not today, because she was going to walk away! She was going to show him that she didn't care if she wasn't number one here, because she knew that when she got home she would be able to especially pound anyone into the ground when it came to duel monsters.

Surprise entered Zane's eyes, and he allowed a pleased smile to cross his face. _Maybe she learned something after all_, he thought. "Where are you going?" he called out.

She turned, not expecting him to say anything. "Um… back to the dormitory."

He raised his duel disk, and began to shuffle his deck. "Don't you want to go again?" he asked.

"Duel you again," she said. "As in, today?"

"One would hope so," Zane said, his eyebrow lifting. "Unless, you don't want to."

"No!" she shouted, quickly grabbing her deck in order to begin doing the same. "I'll duel you all you want, Zane!"

"Tell me," he asked. "Are you going to start ranting about being number one again?"

"Not today," she smiled. "Unless you want me to?"

"No, I believe I have heard enough of it for one lifetime." Zane smirked, walking toward her. "Though, your dueling skills are quite impressive. I believe you've managed to surprise me with each duel."

"Really?" she asked, a small blush forming onto her cheeks. She noticed his smirk, and allowed her lips to form a frown. She didn't want him to think he was going to be able to beat her every time simply because she was beginning to think he was… _cute_? Was that even a word she'd ever used? She didn't think it was.

Their heads turned when they heard, "Me next! Me next!" off to the side. And standing there was a smiling Jaden, Syrus, and Alexis, while Chazz simply frowned and muttered to himself.

"It's a good thing too!" Alexis shouted. "We were beginning to think you wouldn't hit it off!"

Kagome blushed. "What?" she snapped. "You want to come down here and say that to my face? I'll kick your—" She stopped, and turned her attention toward the person who'd placed his hand over her mouth. She frowned deeper, noticing the even larger smirk that had formed onto Zane's face. She didn't like that look at all, she wanted to wipe it off his face, and she knew the best way to do that would be to duel him.

She twitched, reminding herself to have fun.

After all, dueling wasn't all about winning. There was no fun that way, but beating him in order to get rid of that smirk, that was fun. She'd make it fun.

_--Fin_


	37. Memories: Jiraiya

_**Title:**__ Memories_

_**Summary:**__ When asked a question, he couldn't help but be pulled into his memories of the past. Especially as he began letting out small details to the woman he'd once knew._

**Pairing:** Jiraiya/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

"Hey, hey!"

"What is it now, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked, a deep scowl marring his features.

"You keep asking about me, Ero-Sannin!" Naruto said. "It's time you tell me about yourself!"

"Myself, you say?"

"Yeah," Naruto nodded, his eyes bright with wonder.

"Nope, sorry. No can do, kid," Jiraiya sighed.

"What!" Naruto yelled. "But, Ero-Sannin!"

"Ero-Sannin, Ero-Sannin," Jiraiya mocked. "Maybe if you'd actually call me something a little less degrading I might be willing to share with you a tale you wouldn't soon forget."

"Ahh… really?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, kid."

"Ok! Ok," Naruto nodded. "Come on, ah… Jiraiya… tell me something! Come on!"

"Stop being so demanding kid, it's not going to get you anywhere," Jiraiya commented.

"But, but, you promised!" Naruto shouted.

"Stop shouting, kid. You're starting to annoy me," Jiraiya sighed, rubbing at his temples.

"Yeah, well," Naruto started, his face scrunching up a bit. "At least I don't… don't… _don't_ write those boring books!"

"Boring!" Jiraiya gasp. "How dare you say that about such a fine work of art! I'll have you know that many of those are based off…" Jiraiya's voice trailed off, and he grumbled for a second.

"Huh?" Naruto asked. "What were you going to say, Ero-Sannin? Come on, tell me!" Pouting when the older shinobi ignored him completely, he whined a bit. "Come on, Ero-Sannin, you can't be that mad at me. Those books you 'write'," he made quotes with his fingers, "have no plot, no action, no fighting!"

"Ha!" Jiraiya snapped back. "You wouldn't know a plot if it bite you in the butt."

Naruto scowled. "Tell me something, Ero-Sannin!"

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that," Jiraiya said. "You're not getting any closer to what you want, kid."

"Come on! Come on," Naruto said over and over and _over_ again, bouncing up and down in front of his new perverted teacher. "_Please!_"

Jiraiya twitched a little. "Alright, alright, just calm down, Naruto. I was only going to tell you that my books are mainly based off of things I remember… and those pretty girls that just seem to come in packs!"

"Things you remember?" Naruto asked, completely ignoring the end of Jiraiya's sentence.

"Yup, a woman I remember." Jiraiya grinned when Naruto's face brightened, only for him to begin to scowl again. Wondering what was going on in the young shinobi's mind, Jiraiya blinked, and then regretted ever saying it was a woman.

"Ew! You're such a pervert, Ero-Sannin!" Naruto said. "What were you going, watching her bathe?"

Irritated, Jiraiya sighed darkly, "I'll have you know that she was very respected and she died fighting beside me."

Naruto's face softened, and he blinked a little. "Died?" he whispered the word so softly that he wasn't sure Jiraiya had caught his question, but felt the elder shinobi place his hand onto his head. "Fighting… beside you, Ero-Sannin?"

"Yeah, kid. Things happen, and she died during the war," Jiraiya sighed. "She would have been considered a Sannin, I imagine. The fourth Sannin; the tiger enchantress; the mistress of healing and Taijutsu."

Naruto's eyes brightened, "What do you mean a tiger enchantress, Ero-Sannin?"

"Well," Jiraiya said, "that's what I called her. She had a summoning contract with a tiger the size of Gamabunta! Or… she told me it was a tiger, Tsunade and… Oro… ahh… anyway, _others_ were always trying to make me think it was another cat-like creature, since it didn't look like a tiger."

"Have you ever seen a tiger?" Naruto asked.

"No, but I had a picture of one long ago. Don't know where it came from just remember having it. Unlike the tiger from the picture, her's was black with red stripes and called itself Ashisu. It wore robes and had a giant sword, which it wielded by using its mouth, on its back," Jiraiya said, his hands waving in the air. "She could also summon a smaller one, about the size of a horse, and one the size of a puppy, but most of them were never simply orange and black, but blues and reds and yellows. They also had strange names, and I asked her once where she got the summoning contract only for her to tell me that she got it from her father, and she wouldn't say anything else."

"Why not?" Naruto asked.

"Her father was murdered," Jiraiya replied. "She didn't like to talk about it."

Naruto blinked, nodding in understanding. "What was she like, Ero-Sannin? What was her name? Come on, tell me something _good_!"

"Good? _Good_," Jiraiya stressed the word as much as he could, scowling again. "What do you mean, good? Anything I tell you about her will be under my rules, and nothing that I tell you about her will be _bad_. I respected her greatly, she was someone that I was very close to."

"Closer than your team?" Naruto asked out of curiosity.

Jiraiya smiled a bit. "You could say that, yeah."

Naruto looked like he was thinking, pulling at the straps of his pack. Then, he frowned, seeming to think harder, as the Sannin eyed him warily. Almost instantly, his hand shot into the air, and he shouted, "I know! She was a foreign princess that came to Konohagakure because a band of blood thirty shinobi were after her family's riches, and she wanted you to save her, Ero-Sannin! However, you, and all your perverted-ness, ended up falling in love with her, but she didn't love you in return! Am I right? Am I right? Come on, tell me I'm right, Ero-Sannin!"

Jiraiya bobbed him on the head, watching as Naruto brought his hands up to rub at the bump. When tears formed into the younger shinobi's eyes, he sighed, and turned his head away. "Now, don't start that, kid. We're on a mission, remember? No need to start acting like a little girl," he mumbled.

"Why did you hit me, Ero-Sannin?" Naruto snapped. "That wasn't nice! It _HURTS_!"

"I hit you because you were way off, kid," Jiraiya replied. "She was _not_ a foreign princess chased by blood thirsty shinobi who wanted her money. She was a shinobi of our village; one of the last members of a dying clan—much like your teammate Sasuke."

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, his voice turning very quiet. He knew that Sasuke felt alone, or he thought Sasuke felt alone, so he imagined the woman much like him. Her back to him, her clothing loose enough to move quickly—a prodigy that seemed so aloof to the world. "She was like Sasuke?" he asked a little louder.

"Sort of," Jiraiya said, pulling a hand through his hair. "She wasn't the greatest in many ways, but she was good enough. She was considered a prodigy of her time, but she didn't act like it. She acted… much like you in a way, Naruto. She had this way of making others smile, and she liked to pull pranks on people whenever she could to see them smile and laugh more in dark times. However, there were times when she could completely close herself to the world and become exactly like Sasuke, just without the hatred for anyone bubbling underneath the surface—she could never bring herself to hate anyone or anything. She was…"

"Yeah?" Naruto urged.

"She was…" Jiraiya tried again, "someone that you could have looked up to without having to worry about being judged. Hell, she once told me that her best friend was a shinigami."

"Was she mad, Ero-Sannin?" Naruto asked slowly after that.

Jiraiya hit him again. "No, she had a very special Kekkei Genkai. She could see the dead, and without using a certain forbidden jutsu I know of, she could bring a soul wandering on the planes of existence back to life in the form of anything. However, it didn't work for long, and anything she brought back had to feed off her chakra for the amount of time it was alive again in order for it to be able to use its own jutsu. It was deadly, for the other effect was her being able to curse a soul, making sure it never reached the afterlife, and allowing her the option of bringing it to her at any given time to use it—much like the summoning jutsu."

Naruto rubbed his head again. "I guess that's pretty cool."

"Pretty cool, kid?" Jiraiya huffed. "You're dead wrong about that! I saw her use it once, and it looked painful on the user. Like they had been put into a state similar to that Tsukiyomi you saw Itachi use on Sasuke, only worse. Then, they suddenly ceased to do anything, simply falling to the ground, and when checked for any type of life, they were dead." He shivered, remembering it exactly as it had happened. "Like the Sharingan," he stated, trying to find something Naruto might be able to compare it to, "it drained her chakra a lot, and she often couldn't hold out."

"So… it was bad ass?" Naruto asked. He whined when he was hit again, and whimpered, "Why do you keep hitting me, Ero-Sannin?"

"You shouldn't say such things, Naruto. Such a mouth for one so young," Jiraiya stated. "How do you expect to get a girlfriend with that foul thing?"

"G-G-girlfriend!?" Naruto stuttered, his face turning bright red. He stopped in his tracks, Jiraiya unable to push him further, as if he'd rooted himself there. He stared at the elder shinobi, as if _he'd_ suddenly gone crazy, his eyes widening with each passing second. Then, his mind popped with the image of Sakura turning toward him, smiling, her pink hair—though it wasn't as long now—blowing in the breeze that his mind created, and she winked at him. He seemed to melt on the spot.

"Kid?" Jiraiya asked. "Hey, kid!"

"Wha… what?" Naruto blinked, turning his face quickly. "Ah," he gulped, "let's keep going, Ero-Sannin! Don't want to be late, nope!"

"Hey, hey, slow down, kid," Jiraiya sighed. Noticing that Naruto was going to pick up the pace, Jiraiya grabbed him by the back of his backpack, and stopped him from zipping down the road. However, he seemed to be quite determined, digging his feet into the ground and trying to pull himself away from his grasp. "I'm not done yet, and we still have plenty of ways to go."

"Well then start talking, Ero-Sannin," Naruto shouted, trying to pull himself away once more. "You haven't told me anything!"

"I've told you plenty, Naruto. However, as the wonderful novelist that I am, I'm trying to make sure that you understand it as much as your small brain can," Jiraiya nodded. "But if you'd stop struggling I'll tell you how pretty she was…"

"Really?" Naruto asked, stopping instantly. "Was she prettier than Sakura-chan?" He doubted it, no one could be, but he wanted to know. Maybe there had been someone that held more beauty that Sakura, and it'd be interesting to find out if this _still_ mysterious woman was.

"Oh yeah," Jiraiya grinned. "But, I don't think you're a strong enough shinobi to be able to know just how beautiful she was! Hm," he said, eyeing the boy, "maybe I should return to Konohagakure and tell _Sasuke_. I'm sure he'd appreciate me telling him about such a rare beauty, which not only held beauty on the outside but the inside. Why, I'm sure that such a strong shinobi like him will be so grateful that he'll fall to his knees and beg him to tell me more about her, falling deeper and deeper in love with each passing second!"

Naruto's jaw dropped, imagining Sasuke dropping to his knees in front of the perverted Sannin, begging to be told such things—worse, he _could_ imagine Sasuke sitting by her grave, wishing she was alive to rebuild his clan with her if she was _that_ beautiful. He shivered, kind of creped out by the image, but _wanting_ to know. "Wait, wait! I'm strong, Ero-Sannin," he shouted, beginning to make hand seals. "You'll see! I'll show you!"

Jiraiya blinked humorously.

"Ah, ah," Naruto blinked, before shaking his head and beginning the hand seals again. Making the correct ones, without the mistake like the first time, he put his hand out, and stared, shouting, "_RASENGAN_!"

Jiraiya blinked again, watching closely as the young shinobi tried to force his chakra to do, as he wanted it to. Sighing, he knew Naruto wasn't going to get very far, nothing was happening in the first place, so it wasn't like there was any danger at that moment.

"Agh," Naruto frowned. "Rasengan!" Still nothing. "Rasengan!" Nothing. "Rasengan, Rasengan, _Rasengan_!" _Nothing_ was happening. Biting his lip, he stared at his hand, and then allowed his eye to twitch. His fingers twitched where the chakra should have been forming, and he shifted his eyes to the amused Sannin standing next to him, before raising his hand quickly. "Come on, _woooork_! RASENGAN!"

"_Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu_," a familiar voice echoed into his head. There was no noise other than that except for the slight breeze in the background as he watched Naruto try again and again. "_Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu! Gah, why is this the only jutsu that won't work for me! COME ON!_"

"Ero-Sannin! Ero-Sannin, why are you staring at me like that?" Naruto asked in a scared voice.

Jiraiya blinked, "Huh?"

"That look on your face," Naruto whimpered. "It's scary. You're smiling, and it's… it's… _pleasant_."

Jiraiya twitched. "I just remembered something, that's all." He turned away, and began walking on the path again. Naruto caught up easily, looking up at him as if he was going to say something, but Jiraiya sighed first. "That woman I spoke of," Jiraiya said, "she had one jutsu that she couldn't seem to master. It was 'Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu', and you're entertaining display reminded me of a time when I watched her try over and over again to use it. Turned out the reason she couldn't use it was because she had been training earlier that day and when she was expected to learn something new, she just couldn't."

"Oh," Naruto said. "So, she struggled sometimes? How was she a prodigy then?"

"Her healing," Jiraiya said. "Her Taijutsu, and her Genjutsu. She wasn't as well known for using her Genjutsu, but it was probably better trained than her Taijutsu. She had little difficulty with fire, wind, earth, and lightning based jutsus when it came to Ninjutsu, but she got so worked up during training that she drained more chakra than she should have. It made her push herself harder."

Jiraiya smiled. "And she was very, very pretty once she turned fourteen. Her hair was onyx in color, but it did look like a very dark brown at times. Her eyes were blue, friendly—like yours, but much darker. Her body was curved, but she was tough to the point that she could send a guy flying if they got onto her bad side." Jiraiya's eyes twinkled, "Her name was—"

Naruto leaned closer, his eyes glittering.

"—Kagome."

Naruto blinked, his eyes looking confusion. "Who would name their kid that?" he asked. He hissed through his teeth when Jiraiya hit him again, this time harder than before, obviously not amused. "Seriously, Ero-Sannin, who would name their kid after that stupid game!"

"She wasn't named after the game, Naruto," Jiraiya snapped, his eyes blazing.

Naruto gulped at the serious look on the elder's face, and lowered his head. Ashamed, he decided not to raise his head again, before the Sannin placed his hand onto his head. Ignoring him, he wondered if what he'd said was so wrong. The name was weird!

"Show some respect for the dead, kid," Jiraiya sighed. "Her entire clan is gone, only a small trace of it left in the Uchiha bloodline."

Naruto stayed silent for a moment, then lifted his head. "The Uchiha bloodline?" he asked quietly.

Jiraiya nodded. "Yeah, your friend, Sasuke, has a tiny bit of her blood running through his veins. Only a few Higurashi, that was her clan's name, ever married into another clan, because most of them believed in keeping their surname. Uchihas, Hyuugas, Naras, and all the other clans would take the Higurashi name once they married a Higurashi, except for those few who took the other clans name. However, that small amount can only be found in the Uchiha bloodline now, but its not enough to show any signs of the Higurashi bloodline traits."

Naruto nodded in understanding, becoming silent once more.

Jiraiya sighed, eyeing him carefully. He hadn't meant to yell, but it had been his instinct to fight for her honor. He had ever since the day that she'd found him alone in a field, the day that she connected herself to him completely—a day he wished had never ended.

* * *

_He glanced up, surprised to see her standing beside him, smiling so innocently. He huffed, a scowl crossing his face as he thought about what had happened. Orochimaru knew that he liked her; he knew that he wanted to get to know her, yet the jerk had tried to go after her anyway. He was positive still that she had merely been polite, not wanting to hurt his feelings, when telling Orochimaru she didn't want to go out with him, but she'd probably wrong anyway._

"_You shouldn't scowl like that, it makes you look mean," she smiled._

"_What do you know about mean?" he asked._

"_Well, mean things make me sad," she replied. "And you look mean, so you're making me sad. I like it whenever you look happy."_

"_Yeah, well, maybe I'm not happy. Do you have a problem with that?" he rudely asked._

_She reached out, and grabbed his hand out of his lap. Then, raising it to her eyelevel, she began to count them. After she was done, she dropped it, watching as he frowned in confusion, bringing it back to his face to look it over. "I don't like it when you're not happy, Jiraiya. You should happy!" she declared._

_He huffed again. "Why don't you just go hang out with Orochimaru or somethin'? I'm not interested in your happy-crap."_

_She frowned. "Why are you being so mean, Jiraiya?"_

"_Because I want to be, alright," he snapped._

_She lowered herself to the ground beside him. "I don't think that's true. What's made you angry with me? Please tell me, Jiraiya," she whispered._

"_Just go away," Jiraiya said after a moment. "Go play with your prodigy pals, or train, or somethin', just go away."_

_She frowned deeper, sadness entering her eyes. "I'm sorry."_

"_Huh?" he asked._

"_I'm sorry. Whatever I've done, I'll fix it, I promise!" she said. She leaned closer to him, "Please, please tell me what it is. I'll fix it, anyway I can."_

_He looked at her completely, and frowned. "Do you… do you like… um…" he stopped for a moment, before saying, "Orochimaru…?"_

"_Orochimaru?" she asked._

"_Yeah," he nodded._

"_As my friend," she blinked. "Orochimaru is… kind of creepy, you know."_

_He smiled, nodding. However, his smile slipped, and he looked at her even more. "I meant, do you like him, like him."_

_She blushed, "Oh…" She turned her head to the side, and then eyed him from the corner of her eye. "Orochimaru's really not my _type_."_

_Jiraiya blinked suspiciously at her, before frowning deeper still. "What is your _type_ then?" he asked._

_She blushed a little more. "Um… I donno."_

"_Come on, you have to know!" he said._

"_I guess I like… long hair," she started._

_Jiraiya twitched. Orochimaru had long hair._

"_A sense of humor…"_

_He wasn't sure if Orochimaru even could be humorous, which gave him a little hope._

"_Someone whos… not that great at everything he does…"_

_Orochimaru couldn't even be put into that category! Jiraiya was cheering now, a smile twitching at his lips, though he told himself not to be too hopeful. She could instantly tell him something that could crush him just as fast._

"_Who tells the truth… um," she bit her lip, "white…" she whispered after that._

"_Huh?" he asked. "I didn't catch that."_

"_I said… hair," she whispered. "And… um," she moved a little closer to him, "I donno, red markings…?"_

_He blinked. "Really?" Hope blossomed completely in his chest._

_She nodded shyly._

"_Do you… ah… wanna… ah…?" Jiraiya stuttered._

_She looked up, her eyes bright._

"_Ah… ah…" Jiraiya looked around, trying to gaze at anything but her. "Do you… I mean… I'm not good at this… but ah… do you think that we… you and I, I mean… could… like…" He stopped for a moment, to make his words make sense. "Kagome… will you… ah… go out… with… ah… m—"_

"_Yes."_

"_What?" he blinked, still concentrating on trying to finish his sentence._

"_Yes," she said again._

_He smiled brightly, suddenly on his feet. "Like right now?"_

_She nodded, raising herself. "Of course! We can train together afterward!"_

_Jiraiya's face dropped, "AH MAN!"_

* * *

"Hey, hey," that sounded familiar. "Are you paying attention to anything I'm saying, Ero-Sannin!"

Jiraiya blinked. "No."

Naruto's face dropped. "But, but, I was telling you what I thought!"

"Hm?" Jiraiya replied, urging him to speak his thoughts.

"I was saying," Naruto continued, "that this Kagome, _was_ the woman you loved. But, but," he said, waving his hands when Jiraiya began to speak, "that's not the best part! You, you, had a rival that wanted her too, and you had to fight for her heart!" Naruto smiled to himself, glad for his explanation. He didn't seem to notice that it sounded very much like something he knew, except slightly different.

Jiraiya twitched, not thinking that Naruto _might_, just might, have hit the nail on the head. "Nope, totally wrong, kid," he said, continuing forward.

"What!" Naruto shouted. "But it was perfect!"

"It was wrong!" Jiraiya replied, almost singing it.

"_Ah_!!"

_Sorry, kid,_ Jiraiya thought, _some memories aren't always blissful._

* * *

"_Don't go."_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Kagome," came another voice._

"_Orochimaru…?" he said._

_The other male's eyes darkened as she sucked in a shaking breath, and her body fell limp in his arms. However, he didn't watch the male for long, his eyes returning to the woman in his arms. He began to shake her, not realizing that Orochimaru was still standing there, his face slightly pale, and shaking at the sight._

"_No," he whispered. "No, Kagome." Looking up, he looked around frantically, and finally began to shout. "Tsunade! Tsunade, please! TSUNADE, where are you?! Tsunade, help her!"_

"_She's dead," Orochimaru hissed._

"_No, no," he cried. "No…"_

_A roar filled the air, the giant tiger disappearing in a poof of smoke, though the roar spoke of mourning._

"_Kagome…" he whispered brokenly. "God no, _Kagome."

_--Fin_

* * *

**_KibaSin:_** I hate this ending! I may do another one, similar to this one, where they're young, or maybe Jiraiya's being a pervert toward her. Something, since I hate the fact she's dead! No, and poor Jiraiya calling out for Tsunade to heal her! Oh, I am so depressing at times... anyway, I hope to have more. I am working on requests at this time, I merely had two to three... possibly four (alright, five or six!) wonderful ideas that I simply wanted to write. So, hopefully I'll have those out, and I'm sorry for those who've requested something I am not familiar with. You can check my profile for anime/manga that I am familiar with, even if only a little bit. 

Gah, and I spelled 'Rasengan' wrong the first time I wrote it down. I really need to check these things for errors first. Stupid fingers.

_Kiba_


	38. When in Doubt: Aburame Shino

_**Title:** When in Doubt_

_**Summary:** Everyone wondered if they'd ever make it, since it never really seemed like they were a couple. Even Kagome was beginning to have her doubts._

**Pairing:** Shino/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

She could hear them whispering every time she walked past, ever since she'd taken a liking to Aburame Shino. Always asking her stupid things like if Shino had ever taken his glasses off for her, or if he'd ever done reckless and so on. Stupid things really. But, as Kagome readjusted her headband again, she could understand why they'd ask such things. From what she knew, though he _had_ taken his sunglasses off a few times, he'd never done it for anyone else, except perhaps his family. Still, sometimes those stupid girls could get ridiculous.

"Look at her sitting there," someone snorted. Kagome twitched at the voice, knowing instantly they were talking about her.

"I know, it makes you wonder if Shino's already left her, or standing her up finally," another sighed.

"Poor girl," the first giggled a little, "it must be so hard not knowing if your stoic boyfriend actually loves you or is just using you."

"I know." Kagome growled to herself, turning her head slightly to the side as she rested her chin on her hand. She didn't have to listen to this stuff, but she knew from experience that Shino had actually been rather uncomfortable and out of place when they'd first started dating. Now, he didn't seem like it so much, but he was still calm, collected, and only took off his sunglasses on special occasions for her to see his deep hazel eyes. Still, the words were annoying, since she _knew_ Shino wasn't using her, and though he hadn't said it, she felt that he would only stay and do such rare things with her _because_ he loved her. Those women were just idiots.

Knowing they were probably going to continue, Kagome stood from her seat in the oden stand. Placing her money on the counter, and waving to the owner, she stepped out, watching as the woman staring at her instantly quieted. She merely smiled at them, not wishing to be rude even though they were annoying. Then, she turned down the street and began to walk, her ears and senses taking in the sounds and chakra signals around her.

Dust kicked up around her, as she walked toward the training grounds, hoping to find _someone_ to help her vent her frustrations a little. At this point she'd even put up with Uchiha Sasuke's rude comments as he mocked her poor aim or something, as long as she could find someone to throw a couple punches at. Hearing others talk about her love life was something that she'd always found annoying, even when she never mentioned it, since it was none of their damn business.

Glancing around, her eyes taking in as much as they could, she searched for anyone familiar. True, she could simply train by herself, but she liked having the human company. And she liked her friends, especially after she'd lost everyone within her old village, barely escaping being killed within the massacre herself and managing to make it to Konoha in secret. The Godaime Hokage had listened to her story and taken her in, and in doing so had given her a new life, new friends, and a person to truly love, since she'd come to learn during her time with Shino that Ishikure Inuyasha had merely been a simple crush. Besides, he was the bastard that had betrayed her former village; he deserved nothing but her contempt.

Turning her eyes, she smiled brightly. Her hand came up and readjusted her headband again, before tightening the straps. Then, she rushed forward, nearly running into the person she wanted, grabbing ahold of the heiress's shoulders as she smiled at her companion. "Neji-san!" she greeted, seeing him frown deeply at her, "I'm afraid I'm going to be taking little Hinata for a while."

"W-_What_?" Hinata stuttered.

"Hinata-_sama_," Kagome smirked, pulling her away from her cousin, "I need you."

"O-oh," Hinata blushed, "okay."

Neji rolled his eyes, "Promise to bring her back in one piece, Higurashi-san, or I—"

Kagome waved her hand innocently, "I know. I know." She smiled a little more, "We'll see you later, Neji-san!"

"B-Bye, b-brother," Hinata said, waving at Neji as Kagome dragged her down the street. Managing to pull herself away from Kagome a little, she turned, and stared at her friend. "Where are we g-going exactly, Ka-Kagome?"

"Training grounds," Kagome replied, running a little faster.

Hinata nodded, "I see."

"I need to vent!" Kagome said, thrusting her free hand into the air.

Her friend understood instantly, as they rushed into the forest. It didn't take long for them to stop, Kagome looking around at the training area she'd chosen and nodding. Hinata merely watched, frowning a little more, before asking, "I-is this about S-Shino?"

"Stupid other people can't keep their noses out of my business," Kagome growled. "I don't care if Shino is apart of the Aburame Clan, it gives them no right to talk about me when I can hear them."

Hinata smiled, "You should learn t-to not listen to them."

"Its hard," Kagome smiled. "In my old village, as you know, I listened to everything. I knew someone instantly when they approached me, and now I'm only starting to feel apart of this village." She reached up to push her headband up a little more. "In my old village, it was only natural to know everything that was going on in case danger was lurking underneath the surface. My clan trained their ears and their senses for such things, trying everything in their power to keep the village safe, and yet still… I did not hear…"

Hinata placed her hand onto Kagome's shoulder, "I-It was not y-your fault."

Kagome smiled a little, "I know. Just like you know that you need to stop stuttering all the time. But we both know that isn't going to happen anytime soon, is it?"

Hinata blushed, shaking her head.

"Still," Kagome frowned. "You were on Shino's squad, weren't you, Hinata?"

"Yes," Hinata nodded.

"Is what they say true?" she asked. "I've only known him since I came here three years ago. I-I…" she blushed, "I've come to love him, but from listening to _them_ say that he may be simply using me for his own pleasure, or whatever, it hurts a little. I know that I should know the answer to my question, but I'm not so certain from listening to those who have known him longer than I have, Hinata. So, I ask you, is he?"

Hinata's brow knitted together. "U-using you?" Hinata gasped at last. "N-No, Ka-Kagome! No! S-Shino isn't like that… we didn't talk much, but I-I don't think he'd ever do anything to hurt you. I-in fact, I know that he-he's going to…" Hinata stopped, placing her hand over her mouth rather quickly, her pervious blush returning full force.

"What?" Kagome asked, a little shocked by Hinata's straightforwardness. However, from the way she'd stopped, she wasn't sure if she should take that as a good thing or a bad thing. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, her doubts growing a bit more, and she asked, "I-is he going to dump me, Hinata?"

"N-_**No**_!" Hinata brought her hands up. Waving them, her face still a pleasant red, she tried to continue, "J-just wait until he… ah… until he-he shows you. Y-yeah, that's it." Hinata bit her lip; sure she was going to give something away any minute now, but not liking the fact that her friend might start to cry. "Please, Kagome, j-just wait a little longer."

"I don't underst—"

Hinata quickly cut her off, "I-I have to go, Kagome. I'm terribly sorry, b-but my father is probably expecting m-me anytime now."

"Oh," Kagome frowned. "Alright, I'm sorry that I tore you away from Neji for this. I hope you don't get into any type of trouble because of me."

"O-oh, it's fine," Hinata smiled.

Kagome watched her go, her eyes boring into her back before she disappeared into the trees. She cursed underneath her breath, she was sure she could have gotten Hinata to tell her whatever it was she was going to in the first place. Now she was curious, and wanted to go pester Shino about it, but knew that would probably get her a small blush and an excuse to leave. He'd always looked so embarrassed whenever she'd pester him about something or fuss over his wounds whenever he was hurt on a mission or something similar—not that that was often, since she ended up in the hospital until her Kekkei Genkai activated under serious injuries or blood loss.

Deciding that she could still use that training, though, she turned to the dummy sitting innocently in the middle of the training field. Silently telling it to prepare itself, though that sounded stupid all by itself, she began to rush forward, her hands coming up to make quick hand seals. Then, instantly, four clones drug themselves from the ground around her, each one of them setting their sights on the dummy. And, she was sure if it was alive, its x-shaped eyes would be staring at her in fear as she pulled out a kunai, her one hand already making one-handed seals. And, she was sure if it could, it would gulp and probably run for the hills. Unfortunately for the dummy it was made of straw and didn't stand a chance when her lightning dragon tore it to pieces, hundreds of cloned kunai flying out from within soon afterward, striking the trees. Her clones then turned on her as if betraying her, the real training beginning in that moment.

* * *

_Where_ was he? Kagome's eyebrow twitched, her hands clenching her shirt in annoyance and anger. She'd been sitting there for fifteen extra minutes after Ino, Sakura, and Hinata told her that Shino wished to see her at a certain time and place. Well, he wasn't there. It had been amusing at first thinking about all the things he may be doing, like muttering poetry under his breath or wondering what he was going to say—whatever he wanted to say—but this was getting ridiculous.

Really, wasn't the girl the one who was supposed to be late?

Then again, Kagome's face dropped a little, the words of those stupid women flooding back into her head. So many times she'd heard it, she'd thought that she'd be able to ignore it by now. However, they echoed into her head, and she sighed once more. If he didn't show up in the next five minutes, she was going to leave.

* * *

"Where is he?"

"I-I don't know," Hinata replied. "H-he should be here!"

"Maybe Tsunade-sama called him for an urgent mission?" Sakura suggested.

"Hinata," Ino hissed, "you said that Shino had everything, right?" Seeing the Hyuuga heiress nod, she continued, "Then what's taking him. Kagome's going to leave if he doesn't come soon! And it was all perfect, too."

"Maybe he's got cold feet?" Sakura asked.

Silence settled over them.

"Are insects cold-blooded?" Ino asked. "Do they even have blood? He has tons of them crawling inside his body, maybe… maybe…" Ino shivered at the thought, "Now that I think about it, what does she see in that guy? I'd keep seeing the bugs crawling underneath his skin."

Sakura shuddered. "Ew," she coughed.

"S-Shino taught me that bugs aren't that bad," Hinata blushed a little, remembering when she'd thought the same thing at one point. "E-especially the ones within the Aburame Clan. T-they're quite useful."

"Still," Ino whispered, "_they are_ bugs."

"She's got to see something," Sakura blinked. "I never hear him say more than one sentence at a time, and he's always so mysterious while wearing those sunglasses. Seriously, it'd be hard to see anything in him besides the bugs." She shivered again, glad that Sasuke wasn't apart of the Aburame Clan, since she'd probably shudder every time she saw him.

"That's true," Ino nodded. "But that's not the point! We had the perfect night, the night setting—though Kagome hasn't seemed to notice it yet—and everything was perfect for him to pop the question! Why isn't he here? Hinata!"

"W-What?" Hinata nearly shouted, not liking the way Ino suddenly turned on her.

"Find that blasted bug user," Ino hissed. "Find him now!"

"A-alright," Hinata nodded. She then tried not to make eye contact with them, knowing they'd probably hate the fact that Shino didn't like their chosen setting and would probably come to whisk Kagome away in a swarm of insects or something when she was going to leave.

The others watched as Hinata disappeared out of sight. Then, Sakura frowned. "I kind of wish Sasuke-kun would do this for me."

Ino snorted, "Like you have a chance with Sasuke-kun."

"What?" Sakura hissed, glaring at the blonde.

"You heard me, billboard brow," Ino shot back.

"Oooh," Sakura growled, opening her mouth to shoot something back. However, she noticed something, and gasped. "Look, look!"

"What? What is it?" Ino asked, turning back to the sight. "Is that…?"

"That's Sasuke-kun!" Sakura pointed.

"Where?" Ino gasped, happiness bubbling in her voice.

"Talking to Kagome!"

"_WHAT!_"

* * *

"Are you waiting for someone?"

"Yes, Uchiha-san," Kagome sighed. "Why else would I be sitting here by myself?"

"I don't know," Sasuke said, sitting next to her. "You could be sulking over the fact that someone stood you up." He shrugged, smirking lightly, though not enough that she would notice. He didn't really like getting orders from those who weren't his superiors, but he was doing this to prove to Naruto that he could.

"How did you…?" Kagome's eyes widened. They narrowed fairly quickly afterward, and she stood up. "You… you're in on this, aren't you?" she hissed, very angry at this point.

"In on what?" Sasuke asked innocently.

"I don't know," she shoved her face into his. "You tell me, Uchiha Sasuke."

"How about I don't and say I did?" Sasuke smirked, watching her get closer and closer. Seeing her hand begin to raise, no doubt in anger, thinking that they'd set this whole thing up, he moved. She stepped back, shocked at his sudden movement, and he placed his hand over her mouth, wrapping his other arm around her waist as his teleportation jutsu activated, both of them disappearing in a poof of smoke.

* * *

"Did he just…?" Sakura's mouth went slack.

"He… he…" Ino's lip trembled.

Neither of them could believe it.

Then, they whined together, "Sasuke-kun likes Kagome!"

Sniffling, Sakura bit her lip, "How could he? How could he?"

"And on this night," Ino added. "How could he kidnap Kagome on this night?"

"Poor Shino," they both echoed, "He doesn't stand a chance against Sasuke-kun!"

Both of them felt like their hearts were breaking.

* * *

Kagome's eyes opened, and she pushed away from the smirking Uchiha. "How dare you?" she hissed, pointing her finger at him. Then, she turned her head, and narrowed her eyes at the unfamiliar surroundings. "Where are we?"

Sasuke, unable to help himself, taunted her, "In the perfect place for me to have my way with you. No one will even hear your screams." His tone was mocking, but she instantly took an extra step away from him, her hand forming a one-handed seal. Then, he rolled his eyes, and watched as Naruto came bursting through the trees.

"Sasuke-teme," Naruto growled. "What are you doing tell her things like that? You're not supposed to hit on another guys girl, that's against the rules!"

"It was a joke, dobe," Sasuke sighed, rolling his eyes.

Naruto blinked, "Oh, well then it's ok then." Rubbing his hands together, he turned his eyes toward the woman staring at them suspiciously, her shoulders tense. "Come on, Kagome-chan," Naruto smiled, "you gotta come this way." He grabbed her hands and pulled her a bit, but found that she was quite strong and managed to keep him from moving her at all.

"Why should I go with you anywhere?" Kagome asked. Her heart was pounding, and she silently wished that she could communicate with any type of insect, since she had no idea what these two men wanted with her. However, nothing that came to mind was a good thing.

Sasuke rolled his eyes again. Then, he grabbed her arm and pulled her forward toward the trees. "Just walk through these trees until you come to the lake straight ahead, alright. You think you can do that, Higurashi?"

She pulled herself away from him, "Why should I?"

"You'll have to go to find out," Sasuke replied. "Either way, you've never been to this part of the forest, you'll never find your way back unless you go to him."

"Him?" Kagome hissed, wondering if they were working with Inuyasha.

"Yeah, Sh—" Naruto began, only for Sasuke to hit him. "Ow, hey, that hurt, Sasuke-teme!"

"Shut up, dobe," Sasuke growled. Grabbing his shoulder, he said, "Let's go!"

"Fine, fine," Naruto wasn't able to finish before they disappear from her sight. Kagome eyed the spot they'd just been at, and felt fear prickle across her skin. However, from the thing that Naruto had begun to say, she was sure that it wasn't Inuyasha. That, though, did not give her much hope on who else it could be, or if they were tricking her. But, from Sasuke's words, the whole she'd never find her way back, that wasn't a very pleasing thought.

Sighing to herself, Kagome turned to the trees Sasuke had told her to go through, straight through, which she rolled her eyes at. Really, like she was so stupid that she wouldn't have figured that one out on her own. That Uchiha was very frustrating at times, but other times he seemed to be a person who could turn out to be a protective and interesting friend. If she could ever get used to his insults, which seemed to be sharpened at the tip of his tongue at all times, that was.

Easily, she pushed the branches apart, and began to walk forward. She felt for a moment that she was being followed, and turned to look, her senses flaring. Finding nothing, she listened to the darkness, and heard nothing but the occasional chirping of crickets in the distance, along with the ripples of the water ahead of her. Frowning at that, knowing that something had to be making the ripples, she wished that Shino had showed up on time. Then she wouldn't have been sent on this wild goose chase into a possible enemies arms, or suddenly have two lusty men jump her from behind. Neither were possibilities that she liked.

Snagging her silver dress on a branch, she hissed underneath her breath as she tried to tug it free. After a few moments of tugging, cursing, and pleading with it, in case her possible escort back to the village decided to leave early, she managed to pull it free without it ripping. Thanking it over and over again, she smiled a little, and then patted it down, remembering why she'd worn the dress in the first place. Shino had mentioned that he'd like the way the color brought out her dark hair and eyes. That caused her to frown, and sigh, before moving forward once more, her black shinobi sandals crunching against the dead leaves lining the path she was taking.

The moonlight finally broke through the dense foliage, and she thanked everything she could silently that she was finally going to get out of these trees, which seemed awfully close together. Then again, they were close to a lake, so there was a lot of water for them to feed off of. Shaking her head, she brushed her hand over her neck when she though she felt something crawl against the skin there, before continuing forward.

Once again, she brushed the branches out of her way, and sighed when she finally came to the last bit. However, she paused for a moment, and then shook her head. Pushing the branches aside, her eyes widened as she stared at the sight in front of her. Her hold on the branches remained, almost like she would hide herself at any moment, as Shino's out stretched pull itself toward his body, a tiny firefly fluttering from the tips of his fingers. She watched, as he gazed out at the moonlit lake, the water also reflecting the light of the hundreds of tiny fireflies fluttering around him. She blinked, smiling at his simple black outfit covered by his coat, though the collar seemed to be open from her angle, so she wasn't sure if it was the coat he normally wore.

"I know you're there." Kagome squeaked a little. "The female landed on you as soon as you arrived with the Uchiha, and her scent is quite strong at this point to the males, telling _me_ and them that she is very close by."

Kagome blushed, watching as a tiny insect fluttered off her shoulder and toward the stoic Aburame. She scowled, and then stepped out of the trees, crossing her arms. "Why did—?"

His hand outstretched itself toward her, his body turned halfway toward her. His sunglasses gleamed in the light of the fireflies, as he said, "Come."

Her anger forgotten, she stepped forward. "Shino?" she asked, when she finally stepped up next to him, looking into his glasses. His arm wrapped around her waist, and he turned them toward the lake, gleaming so innocently next to them. It was beautiful, but even more so as Shino reached up and removed his glasses, revealing his hazel eyes. The gaze he sent her caused her to blush, and lower her eyes, as she fiddled with the straps hanging from her headband, though she'd tied it around her neck for the night.

"I thought of you when I found this place," he said quietly.

"You did?" she asked, looking back up at him.

He once again stretched his hand out, a tiny smile forming on his lips. "There were so many fireflies," he replied. "You always said you liked them."

"I do." One of the tiny insects landed on Shino's fingers, and he brought it up to her eyes. She smiled, watching it for a moment, before it flew off to join the others flying over the lake. There were so many of them, but she was sure that Shino had given them a little encouragement when it came to so many gathering in the same place. She smiled a little more, "They remind me of Rin… and Sesshoumaru."

Shino turned his eyes to her.

"Sesshoumaru was my sensei," she said. "Rin was his young ward, as he called her. She went everywhere with us, except on missions. She was so young and so cute. She loved fireflies so much that I couldn't help but love them myself."

Shino nodded in understanding, his free hand reaching into the deep pocket of his coat. Kagome watched as he pulled out something, and blinked in surprise when it was a small black box. She tilted her head slightly, and then turned her eyes back up to his own, seeing him giving her that intense look once more. It was calm, but filled with so much determination and passion that she felt like she was being pulled into it.

"I chose this place because…" Shino paused, "it reminds me of your beauty."

Kagome blushed a bit. "It-it does?"

"Yes," Shino smiled. "It reminds me of how happy I am with you." He paused again, "And how you make everything brighter with your smiles."

She leaned further into him, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. He was stilled staring at her so deeply that she felt like her heart was going to burst at any moment. Not from what he was saying, but from what she was feeling, how she was sure he felt at that moment.

Shino closed his eyes for a moment. "It reminds of how much I love you, Kagome."

She smiled finally, feeling tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. "I—" she stopped feeling his lips brush against her own, not realizing he'd gotten so close. When he pulled away, she blushed a bit, though her smile did not falter. A soft 'sh' stopped her from trying to speak away, as she gazed at him.

"This place," Shino continued, "made me realize I wish to keep you." He opened the tiny box in his other hand, and allowed Kagome to gaze at the tiny ring inside, the tiny wings stretching out from the diamond in the middle. "_Forever_, if you'll have me."

The tiny fireflies began flying around them, creating a shield from the outside as Kagome felt a few tears escape her eyes. She smiled so brilliantly that she was sure her face would hurt the next day, but she didn't care. She nearly squealed, and leapt into Shino's arms as quickly as she could, feeling his arms wrap around her. She hugged him so tightly, and felt her heart pound against her chest as she crushed his lips with her own. Then, she pulled away and hugged him even tighter, repeating "yes" over and over again in his ear.

Finally, after a few moments, she calmed and allowed Shino to place her feet back onto the ground. However, she did squeal at the smile he gave her after he slipped the ring onto her finger and kissed it. Then, she felt his arms wrap tightly around her, and held onto him as he held her, the comments of others flying from her head. She didn't care anymore; she was going to be Shino's wife! She was going to be Aburame Kagome!

And, she was glad she didn't get the information out of Hinata, because the surprise was so much better.

* * *

The next day, she was smiling so much that the others eyed her suspiciously.

"So, what happened between you and Sasuke-kun last night, Kagome?" Ino asked.

"What?" Kagome asked, blinking rapidly as she was pulling out of her little world filled with hazel-eyed children who constantly wished to be held and play with the insects they loved so much.

"You and Sasuke-kun," Sakura growled.

Hinata giggled behind her hand.

"What do you think happened?" Kagome asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"We think that he stole your heart and asked you to marry him," Ino snapped. "Why else would you be so happy?"

Kagome twitched; smiling cruelly when she noticed Sasuke had just walked into the ramen stand. He didn't seem to notice they were even there, until she spoke a little too loudly, saying, "Yeah, Uchiha Kagome. That has _very _nice ring to it, doesn't it, Hinata?"

Sasuke's eyes snapped to her. _What?_

Hinata giggled again. "O-oh, yes. I think y-you and S-Sasuke will be very happy and h-have many children."

_What?_ Sasuke thought, staring at them in horror.

Ino and Sakura cried, bringing their hands up to cover their faces. They still couldn't believe it.

Kagome smirked, unable to help herself. "It's a shame really, considering the fact I will be…"

Ino and Sakura sucked in their breath.

"…Aburame Kagome," Kagome smiled. "Sasuke will just have to live his life without me. The poor guy, I'm sure our children would have been very handsome."

Ino and Sakura both shouted, "WHAT!"

She ignored them. "Don't you think so, Hinata?"

"O-oh yes, Kagome," Hinata smiled.

Sasuke stilled stared at them, and then shook his head. _I wish Shino luck_. _He's going to need it with that crazy wench._

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ I couldn't help but be a little mean to Ino and Sakura. Their rivalry for Sasuke's heart just gets annoying sometimes, and I sit there yelling at the screen that it's an obsession. Get over him… though, in truth, for an anime character he's pretty hot. Then again, so are a lot of other anime characters, like Shino, Shikamaru, Gaara, Naruto, Itachi… god, they need to stop being so hot! I don't want to become like Ino and Sakura!_Kiba_


	39. Existence: Uchiha Sasuke

_**Title:** Existence_

_**Summary:** They existed to avenge those they had loved, and that life can be a lonely one._

**Pairing:** Sasuke/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

_We_ are avengers; people seeking to right the wrongs that someone has committed against us. And this life was a lonely one, until we found each other. Until we found someone who truly understood and shared this existence with us. –_Uchiha Sasuke_ and _Higurashi Kagome_

* * *

Naruto's eyes widened, as he stared at the kunoichi walking away from them. His jaw fell open, and he felt even Sakura tense at his side in shock. "W-What did you just say?" 

"I told you," the kunoichi hissed darkly, turning to glare at them, "I _am_ an avenger, I have no time for friends and meaningless things that will only get in my way. I _must _become stronger, I _must_. In doing so, I will one day be able to kill _her_."

"H-Her?" Sakura stuttered, blinking rapidly. She glanced silently at the boy standing on her other side, narrowing his dark eyes. However, the response had triggered her curiosity, since she hadn't thought anyone could be so much like the silent boy standing beside her. Not in so many ways, at least.

The kunoichi lowered her head, and then raised her eyes so that they could see them. They spun much like the sharingan would; however they did not change like the sharingan would have. Instead silver and purple markings bleed into her deep blue eyes while the wheel continued to spin. "Kikyo," she whispered, "my _sister._" Then, she turned on her heel and walked away, her dark clothing flapping in the wind that blew around them.

"Oh my god," Sakura whispered under her breath.

"W-What the hell!" Naruto yelled, alerting many of the villagers to his presence. "S-She's just like… like _you_!" His finger turned to the still silent boy standing near them, frowning deeper when he did so.

"No," the boy snapped. "We're not the same at all, Naruto."

"Like hell you aren't, Sasuke-teme!" Naruto yelled back. "You both talk about killing your elder sibling, and you both claim that the only thing you can do is be an avenger! Tell me how that's not the same!"

"We're different," Sasuke growled. "Get over it, dobe."

Sakura blinked, and then brought her hand up to cover her mouth. "B-But… Sasuke-kun, she is…"

"Shut up," the boy snapped, glaring at them. His eyes flickered for a moment, chakra pumping through his body at a rapid pace. "Besides, what do _you_ two know about me and her? _Nothing_."

Naruto was stunned at the way Sasuke spat the words out, as if they were covered in venom. He'd never heard Sasuke take such a defense to his actions or his life, and he stopped for a moment. That moment was long enough for Sasuke to turn away from them, probably glaring at the ground as he started walking.

Sakura watched him, knowing that he wouldn't say anything as he left. However, she found it ironic that he walked off in the opposite direction that the kunoichi had, his clothing flapping the same way. Their dark colors were so alike, and their very being seemed to stop everything for a single second as others wondered at their dark beauty. And, Sakura wished in that single instant that Sasuke would come to realize what she felt for him, but felt her heart crack because she knew that Sasuke wouldn't even consider it while searching for a way to defeat his brother.

Still, as she watched him, the image of the aloof kunoichi seemed to be walking with him. Her hair was the same color, though much longer in length, and blew off to the side as Sasuke's did. Her dark blue and black clothing was caught in the wind the same way Sasuke's shirt and white shorts were. They seemed to be so alike, that she almost couldn't pull them apart from one another, couldn't determine which was which, and that disturbed her. She'd never imagined that someone would have the same basic background as Sasuke, never.

Naruto scowled, before shouting, "Fine, leave, we don't need you anyway!" He then turned to the girl still watching Sasuke turn a corner, and scowled deeper. "Sakura?"

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Can we go get ramen or somethin'? This is boring," he muttered.

Sakura twitched, "You… Naruto."

"What?" he asked, frowning.

"You're bored?" she asked. Seeing him nod, she hissed, "How can you think this is boring? It was something that only happens like… once in a lifetime!"

"So?"

"Agh, you're such an idiot!" Sakura stomped her foot.

As she walked away, Naruto's eyes widened. "Hey, Sakura, where are you going? Don't tell me you're going to leave me too!" He scampered after her, watching as she rushed down the opposite corner that Sasuke had taken. He hadn't known she could go that fast, but he suspected it had something to do with her anger as he tried to gain her attention.

* * *

"Idiots," a voice echoed into the trees. 

The sound of some rustling leaves soon followed.

"_Friends_?" the voice scoffed. "I have no need of friends." The girl whom the voice belonged to lean further into her tree, pulling gently at the petals of the flower she'd found. With each that fluttered down toward the ground she counted the ways she could kill Kikyo, delighted that she was coming up with so many. She knew though, in her heart, that it would only take one for the elder to fall, and then she would be able to begin rebuilding what had been lost because of her. "I am Higurashi Kagome," she reminded herself while plucking another petal, "I have no time for anything other than becoming stronger."

She sighed, and then crushed the flower within her fingers. Turning her head to the side, she closed her eyes, and wondered on her life thus far. However, she didn't get very far, when she heard the faint sound of someone walking along the forest floor. She scowled, but knew that she did not own the forest, and others were allowed to go through it as they pleased. Besides, the village up ahead was not her own, she'd only traveled there on a rumor that Kikyo had traveled there, only to find it false. Not to mention those idiots that had thought she might be lost, needed someone to help her, and then decided they liked her enough that she should become their _friend._

Ignoring the sound, she turned her thoughts inward once more. Kikyo had told her that their family had been worthless, not deserving of the life they continued to create with each babe that came into their little world. She'd told her the only reason she'd allowed her to live was because someone needed to feel the loss, and at the tender age of six she had been the perfect candidate, since Kikyo would not. Kikyo had then smirked at her a little, so different from the stoic sister she'd known, and told her to live her miserable little life running from her nightmare, Kikyo herself, because she held no hope of one day avenging the worthless souls she'd dispatched. She'd learned to hate her instantly, and now she was determined to prove Kikyo wrong, and avenge them, because at least she had loved them. Kikyo may not have, as she'd stated, but she had, and that was reason enough to become strong enough to defeat her.

Her closed eyes tightened, flashes of their last encounter flashing in her thoughts. She had just become a genin and gotten permission to leave her village in order to search for some way to become stronger. Their kage had realized instantly that she would not stop until she got her wish, and allowed it, agreeing to keep her out of the bingo book as a missing-nin. She'd only been ten, and she'd come across Kikyo, who'd looked at her as if she was not there. And after attacking her, she'd gotten her shoulder dislocated, her left arm broken, and a nice wound on her leg. She'd only survived because she'd managed to find a village close by, showed them the scroll her kage had given her, and they'd taken her to their medic-nins. She'd learned in that instant that she needed to become stronger, and the last two years had been spent training before she'd gone searching for rumors of her sister's whereabouts. Now, she was positive that she could come close to beating her, and if she didn't, she would either die trying or earn another day to try again.

She would _not_ allow Kikyo to get away with killing her clan. She wouldn't.

"Why did you do that?"

Kagome looked down and found the silent boy from that pack of three staring up at her, glaring. She glared back, her blue eyes narrowing to slits. "What have I done now? I do not remember doing anything to you, though I admit that I may have done a few things in the last village."

"Why did you say you're an avenger; that you want to kill you sister?" he hissed.

"Because it is my life," she scoffed. "Do you have a problem with that, I'm sure some have lives worse than mine?"

"You're lying," he said.

"What?" she asked, anger gripping her.

"You're lying," he said again. "You're just one of those stupid fan girls that think they know everything about me. You're one of those that seem to think that if you're like me I'll take a liking to you. I'll tell you right that now that you're going to get your hopes crushed, because _I_ am an avenger, and _I_ have no time for meaningless things like girlfriends."

Her eyes narrowed even further. "You think I was lying, do you? You think that I would make up my life?" She slipped from the branch she was standing on, hitting the ground easily in front of him, her eyes flashing a bit more. "I watched my elder sister kill everyone that I loved, for she wounded me so that I could watch! As she told me," she mocked her sister's voice, "to watch the miserable lives they do not deserve come to an end."

"Liar," he growled.

She snorted, "I believe you're the one who is lying. I have had many men who seem to think that I am weak enough to fall pity to my emotions. I may be only going on thirteen, but I have many suitors who would call me such in order to make me angry. I have _many_ from many villages that would wish to try to manipulate me until I am vulnerable to their advances and fall into their arms. How do I know that you're not the liar, liar?"

"I am Uchiha Sasuke," he spat.

"I am Higurashi Kagome," she returned.

"Higurashi?" he questioned, recognizing the name.

In the same moment, she narrowed her eyes, "You're a Uchiha?"

At the same time, they asked, "What?"

Kagome recovered quickly, watching the Uchiha silently. However, she twitched a little after a few moments, and then answered, "I am of the Higurashi Clan. My family has been dead for six years, and in that time I have been searching for a way to kill my elder sister, Kikyo. _I_ am not a liar." She allowed her lip to twitch again, "If you know anything about my clan, you would know that we're not liars. We detest those who are."

She narrowed her eyes at him. She knew of the Uchiha Clan, destroyed by one Uchiha Itachi. They had been killed two years after her own clan, and she'd thought for a moment Kikyo may have gone completely mad, until she'd heard who the killer was. Her clan had not been as well known so far in the world, but they were known well enough that those who had heard talked behind her back each time she crossed their path, the Higurashi emblem on her back telling them instantly who she was.

"My existence is simple—"

Sasuke blinked, cursing at himself for not realizing what clan she'd been apart of in the first place. The Higurashi emblem was a silver orb with a thin white ring surrounding it, and inside the orb was the kanji shinu, death. That symbol _was_ on her back, and he cursed at himself for not recognizing it instantly. His father had shaken his head for quite some time when they'd heard of their death, before he'd called them weak. He'd heard his father talking with his mother about how the alliance, since the Higurashi Clan would have come to Konohagakure if a marriage were arranged, could not be formed, thus losing a powerful ally for their village and their clan.

"—to train, to fight, and to avenge those who were lost when I could not help them." Kagome smirked, "_I_ have no time for a worthless boyfriend that would only get in my way when I am risking my life. Therefore, why would I try to lie about my family's death? I have no use for you or any other who may wish to obtain a way to father children with me, thus gaining a way to use my Kekkei Genkai for their own use, or someone searching for an entrance to my heart."

Sasuke scoffed, refusing to apologize for his mistake. "Why did you come to Konohagakure?"

"Did every Uchiha teach their children to have no manners?" she questioned, seeing him narrow his eyes further. She saw him open his mouth, but raised her hand quickly, answering his question, "I came because someone told me that Kikyo was either in or nearing Konoha. My purpose here is _that_ simple."

"Why didn't you go to the Hokage first?" he demanded.

"I did," she said slowly. "Then, at her permission, I went to search Konoha, just as she'd told me I could. I believe she also sent out six ANBU to keep an eye out for Kikyo, she is a murder in the bingo book, after all."

"Why didn't you tell Naruto and Sakura that then?" he asked. "Why did you merely follow them until Naruto wanted to be your friend?"

"Weren't you walking with us, too?" she asked.

"Answer the question," he snapped. His eyes flashed, his emotions flaring, as a piece of him whispered that she understood him. Sure, it had happened at different times and in different places, but they had both had their entire clan destroyed by the one they'd thought they loved. Their elder sibling. Well, he wasn't sure if she'd loved her sister Kikyo, but from the pain that had flashed in her eyes he was sure he was correct.

"I do not wish to be interrogated at this moment, Uchiha," she replied. "Though I was side tracked by you and your little _friends_," she spat out of the word as if it had no place in the world, "I still need to search for my sister. I still need to avenge my clan, and prove that my existence is not meaningless! Then, and only then can I begin to rebuild—"

"What a temper you now have. Tell me, did you learn it from that sensei you acquired, the one by the name of Sesshoumaru?"

Sasuke's eyes widened, turning toward the voice that echoed toward them. Standing not far away was a woman around the age of twenty, her eyes emotionless even as they reflected slight amusement. And, despite the age difference, she looked almost identical to Kagome, except for the straight hair, and the color of her eyes.

Kagome's voice gained an edge so sharp that it almost sounded evil and insane, "Kikyo."

The elder tilted her head slightly, "Hello… dearest little sister."

* * *

Sasuke watched, as again and again Kagome rushed toward her elder, rooted to his spot. And, the same result happened each time, for she was so easily knocked away before she could even land a blow. However, it did not take more than a few minutes for her to change her tactics, creating some type of clones, which circled Kikyo and gave her an opening. The elder moved, throwing a punch that would have surely broken something, but Kagome managed to evade the punch and jam her hand into her sister's stomach. 

Kikyo coughed only once, a small dribble of blood slipping past her lips. "Ah," she chuckled, "I see you have finally mastered the Higurashi snake style. Amusing that it took you so long, when I had already mastered the snake and the crane by the time I was your age."

Kagome snapped, "Shut up," and swiped her hand upward.

Kikyo managed to laugh shortly, moving away from the attack. "Oh, this is certainly interesting. Two years and you have mastered the snake and the tiger, have you? I think I should feel jealous, dearest little sister."

Kagome's hand shot back, and her clones circled in closer. They attacked Kikyo, though the elder quickly began tossing them about like they were nothing. In fact, it seemed to Sasuke that she barely moved, merely throwing a few kicks and punches in order to destroy them. While it was happening, Kikyo's eyes beginning to spin rapidly, Kagome's hands made quick hand seals, and began to glow a deadly red, swirling much like Naruto's Rasengan.

"That as well," Kikyo stated. "That sensei pushed you hard."

"I told you to shut up!" Kagome roared, rushing forward. Her hand outstretched, the spinning red ball changing shape at the last instant. Her hand shot out like it had when she'd jabbed Kikyo before, in the snake style, the ball turning into a swirling spear extension.

Sasuke moved when Kikyo did, though barely, her hand grabbing ahold of Kagome's arm. A scream tore from the younger siblings lips as a crack echoed into the forest, her arm breaking. He didn't get very close when Kikyo noticed him, pulled Kagome close enough to whisper into her ear, and then stabbed her in the shoulder. It looked to have hit one of her chakra points, but he wasn't sure as she was lifted off her feet and slammed against him, sending them both backwards into a tree.

Kikyo pulled her cloak closer to her, the amusement in her eyes fading away as she watched Kagome struggle to rise. "Run forever, little sister. You will _never_ be strong enough to kill me, and you will never avenge those worthless fools I killed. Your dream is meaningless—you may as well lay on your back and give birth so that I can have more worthless souls to dispatch." She gave a short, dark laugh, "You're nothing but a foolish little girl. Hatred is what you need, but you can never truly hate me. So run; run forever."

Kagome's eyes dropped, her hand clenching around her broken arm as Kikyo faded into the forest. Biting her lip, she screamed, "_YOU_ RUN, KIKYO! I _WILL_ KILL YOU! _I_ _WILL_ AVENGE THEM!" Laughter followed her statement, while she fell limply against the boy sitting underneath her. She gritted her teeth, a short sob escaping her chest, while she whispered, "M-My existence is not meaningless… I will avenge them. I-I _hate_ you, Kikyo."

Then everything went black.

* * *

"Hey." 

She opened her eyes a bit more, and allowed her vision to clear. She blinked against the hospital lighting, and turned her head a bit so that she was staring at the boy sitting next to her, staring blankly. Her body felt heavy, yet limp at the same time, and she hated feeling so weak. "Uchiha," she whispered, her voice rough and groggy.

Her eyes moved around the room, her neck feeling numb. From the look of the place it almost looked like someone had been living in there, and she was positive it wasn't her. Her eyes narrowed just a bit before returning to the Uchiha sitting silently at her side. "How long have you been here?" she asked.

"Long enough," Sasuke smirked.

"Why?" she hissed. "I told you, I don't need anyone else. I am what I am, I will not change simply because someone wants me to."

"I never said I wanted you to change," Sasuke scowled.

"I do not need friends or lovers or boyfriends," she continued. "I need only myself. I need to be stronger… I wasn't strong enough."

"You're right," Sasuke nodded, standing up.

"What?" she asked.

"You don't need a boyfriend or lover," he nodded. "But everyone needs someone to understand. I understand you, and I have a feeling you'll understand me."

"We're not the same," she spat.

"No," he said, agreeing. "But we're close enough."

Kagome blinked at him, and then turned her head away. "Do what you wish."

Sasuke smirked again, "I planned on it."

A tear swept down her cheek. "Do you pity me?" she asked.

"No."

"Good," she smirked a bit. "Otherwise I would destroy your plan faster than you could blink. But I will allow you to do whatever you want, whether following me or training with my sensei and I, whatever you have on your mind, Uchiha. Do not get smug, though, for I'm only doing it because maybe you could help me kill Kikyo; help me become stronger in order to do so."

"And you can help me with Itachi."

She nodded, "Agreed. But you need to leave for a while."

He narrowed his eyes, "Are you going to try and escape?"

"No, I need to change so that _I_ can escape this hospital," she shuddered. "I hate hospitals."

And surprising, Sasuke chuckled a bit under his breath before he did as she asked. However, Kagome watched him go, and sighed. She was an avenger, and she knew that he was as well, so maybe they could make each other a little happier. After all, she may not like to admit it, but she had been pretty lonely for a long time when she had no one who understood her existence.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ Well, I didn't much like the ending, I left it too open, but I usually do that in case I want to make it into a full-length fic. However, none of these current ones will most likely end up that way, since I have a few ideas that I'm going to start once I get around to finishing my current stories. Hm, but I wanted to list a couple of pairings that I will be doing in the possibly near future (unless my still unnamed muse says otherwise) and here they are: 

_**Falling -**__ Itachi/Kagome_; _**Servitude**__ – Miroku/Kagome_; _**The Female Samurai - **__Mugen/Kagome_ (hopefully I'll get this one finished, it's about 50 percent done at the moment); _**No Current Title -**__ Kankurou/Kagome_; _**Bloody Love**__ – Abel/Kagome_; _**Determination**__ – Chazz/Kagome_ (I don't know there Japanese names or I'd use those, I'm familiar with the English ones they came up with); _**A Legend**__ – Kisuke/Kagome_; _**Something Different**__ and__** An Understanding**__ – Hiei/Kagome_; _**Reminisce **__– Hikaru/Kagome/Kaoru_ (I'm doing them together because I've only read through volume two of the Ouran High School Host Club manga and I'm not familiar with the differences in their personalities yet); _**Paradise**__ – Kiba/Kagome_; _**Going Under**__ and __**No Current Title**__ – Gaara/Kagome_; and a few others that currently aren't in the making because I need to get more info on the characters

I also had two ideas for Kyuubi/Kagome, and I was thinking about doing a Sasuke/Kagome where they're younger, after the Uchiha Massacre, though. I call them ideas because I haven't actually written them down yet, like I should, since I forget things when I have other thoughts for stories storming through my brain.

_Kiba_


	40. Simply Programming: Minamoto Shuichi

**_KibaSin:_** This one is reallllllly short because I needed to get something done and I haven't read _Chobits_ in about seven months and I've been watching too much _Bleach_. So, I'm apologizing for the shortness and possibly the fact that it sucks in my opinion, but I should have a couple of good ones out before July, hopefully. I'm still trying to write the next chapter for _Breeding School_, I really need to get that done. Lol.

_Kiba_

* * *

_**Title:** Simply Programming_

_**Summary:** She'd been told many times that her dear; dear Shuuichi was merely her persocom, her human-like computer. He runs from the programming she gave him, but she doesn't care. She loves him, even if he's only a machine. Even if she could have any man she ever wanted._

**Pairing:** Shuichi/Kagome

**Anime/Manga:** YYH/IY/Chobits

* * *

Her pencil tapped impatiently against her desk as she thought about the words that they'd said to her. Her friends. They'd seemed to notice the way that she was constantly looking at her persocom, and were always trying to remind her that he wasn't human. That he was merely a machine made to help her. Well, it wasn't her fault her persocom was perfect; exactly the way she wanted her future husband to be, so therefore, perfect in a sense. True, she had made the programming herself and installed it into him, but that didn't mean that they could say such things to her. 

She was positive it was only because they were jealous. Jealous of what she had. Not just her handsome, sweet Shuichi, but everything else as well. She did, after all, belong to a very wealthy family, and therefore she was able to get anything she so desired in life. They were jealous of that, she had decided, so she decided that for the moment she would ignore them. Make them think that they were doing her good and then tell them flat out what she thought. If they couldn't get over their jealousy then she'd simply stop being friends with them, and go to the friends she knew she could trust.

Sighing, she knew that she'd most likely not do that. She liked her friends, especially since they weren't merely from her father's business partners' lines', therefore they didn't like to talk about the companies welfare and if they'd still be partners in years to come. They were normal people, who went to a normal school, while she went to a huge school that her father paid her, allowed only to have her persocom with her. It was only natural, she had thought, that she would grow attached to the only thing normal in her life that she could take to that school, but they thought otherwise. Her friends thought it was strange that she seemed to have feelings for her persocom.

Turning to look at him once again, she admired him. His green eyes and red hair. True, he was a costume model, and there was no other like him, but she'd come up with how she wanted him to look. She assumed that she'd based him off of one of her father's business partner's son, Youko. Yes, Youko was completely different when it came to hair and eyes, but they still looked similar otherwise. Perhaps it was because when they were children, Youko had told her that he'd marry her someday, but then she'd learned he'd become quite the ladies man as years went by. There was no point in him anymore, which was why she liked Shuichi so much, she guessed. She wanted Youko to be like Shuichi, because at least then she'd have a human partner, instead of a persocom who'd never be able to give her children or know anything more than his programming.

She guessed, in the end, she wanted them to be like each other. But it was Shuichi she loved. Shuichi that she wanted to be with, even if he was only a machine, and that confused her. She'd always thought that she'd only be able to love another person, but she'd fallen in love with her persocom, her human-like _machine_.

"Is there something wrong, Kagome-sama?"

He was always so sweet, so polite. "No, there's nothing wrong, Shuichi. You shouldn't worry about me, ok."

He smiled, "If you insist, Kagome-sama." He tipped his head slightly to one side, "Would you like your tea now, Kagome-sama? One of the maids brought it up a few minutes ago, but you were deep in thought and I did not think it wise to disturb you at the time."

"Yes, that would be lovely, Shuichi," she replied. Straightening, she watched as he moved in order to grab the tray left by one of the other persocoms, programmed specifically to do a maids work. He brought it like the gentleman he'd been over the years, and set it beside her, smiling softly the entire time. She'd had his body upgraded just a bit a few months ago, so he looked completely human, just like she wanted him to.

"Here you are," he said, placing it down on her desk beside her. The cup was already filled, but he stood there in case Kagome would need it refilled. He watched as she placed the pencil she'd been tapping against the desk down, and took up the cup. A slight frown formed on his lips, "Is there something on your mind, Kagome-sama?"

"Huh, why do you ask?" she asked.

"You seem to be distracted, a bit angered, and annoyed," Shuichi blinked. "Usually that indicates that you're either experiencing your week of the month, or you're upset and angry with something."

She blushed a little. He was her calendar; after all, of course he knew that. He knew all the dates that she needed, and he knew the exact moment she should be going into her monthly cycle. Still, if it was a woman-shaped persocom she wouldn't have mind so much, but Shuichi was a male. "Ah… yes, I was just thinking about something that was said to me, that's all. You don't need to think on it so much," she muttered.

"Very well. If you do not wish for me to, then I will not." He nodded once. "Oh, and Kagome-sama?"

"Yes?" she asked.

"Your piano lesson begins in fifteen minutes," he said.

Nodding, she smiled, "Of course, thank you, Shuichi."

"It is what I am here for, Kagome-sama. You do not need to thank me."

Shaking her head, she sipped at her tea once more. "I know. I don't need to thank you for most things, but I feel that it is right. You might be a persocom, Shuichi, but you do so much for me. Sometimes I feel I'd get lost with all the stuff around me, but you're there, and you stop me from getting lost. I'm thanking you for that."

He blinked a few times. "I see. You're welcome," he said.

Once again, his programming showed itself to the surface, making her smile slip for only a moment. Maybe her friends were right. Maybe he was only a machine and she shouldn't feel the way she did. Well, of course that was true, but maybe there words were correct. She'd made him more intelligent than most would be, able to hold a conversation, and understand her, like the perfect man would be able to. But, men were so different from women. Sighing, she turned her attention back to her cup and gazed into it.

Maybe her friends were right. Maybe it was time that she got another persocom in order to stop the feelings that were forming for her Shuichi. It would be ridiculous to get a boyfriend, they normally only went out with her for her money or something superficial and demeaning. But the thought of getting rid of him, or even deprogramming him seemed _wrong_—he was just… so perfect, that she didn't want to see him like that.

Not after all this time with him.

"Could you… tell me how hot it is at the moment, Shuichi?" she asked quietly.

"Inside or outside, Kagome-sama?" he replied, still smiling.

"Outside, please," she said, turning her head away from him. She couldn't do it, even if she decided to; she wouldn't be able to just _get rid_ of him. He might be a machine but he was hers, no matter what anyone else said. He was just as she wanted him to be, and nothing more, and it would be wrong to get rid of him, since she'd be getting rid of her happiness.

"It is currently eighty-four degrees," he said. "It is said that it should only reach eight-nine today."

"Thank you, Shuichi. Now, could you call Ritskuko-sensei and tell her that I would like to cancel our piano lesson for today?" she asked.

"Of course, but may I ask whatever for, Kagome-sama?" Shuichi asked, blinking a few times.

"I feel like going outside today, is all," Kagome smiled. "I expect that you will come with me, won't you?"

"Yes, I will go wherever you go," Shuichi nodded.

"Good," Kagome said, standing from her seat. "Let's go then."

"I have not been able to contact Ritskuko yet, though," Shuichi told her, frowning a bit. "It seems that her line is busy."

"That's alright, you can call her while we're walking. I'm sure it won't be a problem, especially with the check-up I gave you not long ago," Kagome replied.

"No, it will not be a problem, Kagome-sama." Shuichi shook his head, his red hair moving slightly with the movement. "I am sure that Ritskuko is merely communicating with another student and from previous calls she should be available in ten minutes or so."

"Alright then, let's go," Kagome said again, smiling a little more. She watched him as he came to her side, and allowed her eyes to sparkle. He smiled in response to her happiness, and held out his arm like the gentlemen that he was. It was simply his programming that made him do so, but it was his programming that made her love him. If her friends couldn't be happy for her then they didn't deserve to be her friends, especially when she was sure that she didn't need anything more than Shuichi himself.

Even if he was a machine.

_--Fin_


	41. Something Different: Hiei

_**Title:** Something Different_

_**Summary:** Genkai's acquired a new student, and just when Yusuke needs her help. Angry, and slightly down at the fact his old teacher is teaching someone else, he watches as she spars with Hiei._

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Anime:** YYH/IY

* * *

"What do you mean you can't help me?" Yusuke yelled. 

Genkai scowled, "I meant what I just said, dimwit."

Yusuke snarled underneath his breath. "I need your help, ya old hag! Can't you understand that?"

"I understand it just fine," Genkai said, taking another drag from her cigarette, "but I can't help you at the moment. I have my own problems, and I don't need yours dumped on me as well, dimwit."

"What problems?" Yusuke asked. "You only live with Yukina, and isolate yourself from problems!"

Glaring at her old student, Genkai replied, "I have recently required a young girl in need of my help."

"So…?"

"I have taken her in," Genkai rolled her eyes. "And, I must tell you dimwit, that she is a much better student than you ever were. She listens and does as I tell her to when I tell her to do it, instead of complaining the whole time, because she wishes to learn." Genkai blew out the cigarette smoke in her mouth and lungs, and scowled a little deeper. "Though, she does seem to be a bit like you, she needs my help at the moment, and she needs it more than you do."

"How so?" Yusuke wondered. "I could get myself killed if—"

"She could kill everyone in this city and more if she does not learn how to control herself," Genkai snapped back. "Besides, an old friend of mine asked me to help her, and nothing you say is going to make my decide otherwise. Find someone else to help you."

"There is no one else!"

"Then go into the Makai and train there," Genkai said. "You're not exactly human, after all. You'll survive, won't you?"

"Why the hell is this girl so important, Genkai?" Yusuke growled. "So what if she could destroy this city? Koenma will probably get someone to track her down and kill her before then, so it's not like it matters."

Genkai stiffened, her glare becoming sharp. "_What_ did you just say, dimwit?"

"I said—" Yusuke stopped, his eyes widening at the look his old teacher was giving him. He gulped.

"Don't you dare think she is not important," Genkai narrowed her eyes. "She is more important than you, especially with the power she was given during her years of…" Genkai stopped herself before she gave everything away. "This girl is more than you or anyone else could ever think of her as. She _is_ important, because she is like you, Yusuke, but she is _different_."

"What the hell are you talkin' about!"

"Follow me," Genkai demanded.

"Fine, ya old hag. You better not be wasting my time, though."

"I'm positive you'll like what you see, dimwit," Genkai said. "They all do."

Yusuke huffed, crossing his arms across his chest. He really needed Genkai's help, even though he knew he had surpassed her, yet she wouldn't help him at all. All because of some stupid girl—what the hell could be so damn important about one damn girl? He muttered to himself as they went to the back of the temple, where he instantly knew Hiei was, since he was standing with his sword drawn. His eyes narrowed, for Hiei was standing up against a girl smaller than he was, dressed in one of Yukina's kimonos.

"I don't think this is such a good thing to do at the moment," the girl sighed. "Um, _she_'s not in such a good mood since the last time you sparred with her. She says it's shameful that a hybrid could defeat her, even if she's been attached to such a pitiful miko."

"Then she will get over it," Hiei growled. "You must learn how to control her."

"Yeah, that's not working out as well as I thought it would," the miko sighed. "I can keep her under lock and key because of Midoriko's essence, but I can't control her once she's loose."

"You have learned how to unleash her and to lock her away," Hiei scowled, "you need to use that training and harness it in a different way then you have. Without that infernal noise you call music."

"Hey, my music is just fine!"

"Perhaps if you listened to your own language," he replied, "it would be better."

"I like American bands, it's not my fault," she frowned. "Besides, what do you know about music, anyway? You only agreed to this after you saw how much destruction she can cause when loose."

"I know enough, now do as I told you," he snapped.

Yusuke frowned, not understanding anything that they were talking about. Obviously there was another woman somewhere, if at all possible, he didn't sense anything, and this girl couldn't control her. That and some woman named Midoriko was helping her keep her under lock and key, what the hell did that mean?

The miko nodded, and closed her eyes. She sighed a few times, tapped her foot, and in annoyance, frowned. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes to find Hiei staring at her in frustration, obviously not amused by her antics. "What?" she asked. "I don't understand what you told me! At least Genkai would be able to tell me in a simple way, though she would probably insult me in the same instance, but that's better than not understanding at all!"

Hiei frowned, "Fine, we will do it your way, but this will be the last time."

The miko shot a hand up into the air in victory, "That's what you said last time, so I seriously doubt that!"

"Just do it, miko," Hiei growled.

She nodded, and reached into the sleeve of her kimono. She pulled out an iPod, and began to flip through the songs, or games, or whatever, Yusuke couldn't tell from the distance. However, she quickly put the earphones into her ears, and then held up to hand when Hiei took a step forward. She continued, and then turned the sound up higher than Yusuke would have thought possible, the sound of beating drums echoing over the temple grounds. "Prepare the masses," she muttered, closing her eyes, "cause this means war. And if it's a fight they want, we'll bring…" she hummed afterward, her words dying, as she went still.

Hiei tilted his sword a little to one side, and smirked. "I see it didn't take as long for you to find your cage was unlocked, _Gin_."

"I am not as stupid as you may think," the miko's voice was darker, and echoed strangely. Her eyes opened, and instead of the blue color they had been, they were an eerie silver, which glowed lightly. "That ancient bitch may have attached my wandering soul to this miko, but that does not mean she will ever control me. I will only do as you want me to when she is about to die, and only then to save my own life."

"Then you're a fool," Hiei replied.

Her hand came up, a silver mist steaming from her fingertips. Her nails grew to a menacing length, the newly formed claws tipped so dangerously there was no possibility that it would not rip through flesh easily. The knuckles popped as she moved them, her eyes settled onto Hiei like he was her prey. "We will see who the fool is when I rip out your throat, hybrid."

"Kagome will not allow you that much control," Hiei smirked. "Remember you are on a leash, Gin."

She growled, her hair lifting in a nonexistent wind, streaking white and light purple as it did. "No one mocks me, hybrid. You have made your final mistake, and there is nothing this girl will be able to do about your death," she moved with amazing speed, unseen by the human eye.

Yusuke watched, though it was hard to see them move once Hiei picked up speed. They moved so quickly that he had to flick his eyes back and forth as they clashed, Hiei and the girl striking at each other only to spring apart and go at one another again. It was as if they were trying to determine their opponents' strength, as well as coming up with a tactic in order to defeat them. It was strange, since he'd watched Hiei in battle and knew that the hybrid normally sliced down his opponent quickly, but now he was simply pushing against the girl as if trying to mock her, or get her angry. Either way it seemed to be working from the way the girl began to growl and move in a wilder way.

Genkai smirked, "Do you see now, dimwit?"

"See what? A girl who has got a split personality? Yeah, I see that," Yusuke said, watching as the silver mist sprayed from the girl's claws into Hiei's face. The hybrid moved easily out of the range, but the stone they have been standing on melted a bit when it came in contact with the falling particles.

Genkai scowled, taking another drag from her cigarette. "She doesn't _have_ a split personality," she said, "she has a demon soul bound to her own."

"What the hell does that mean?" Yusuke asked, blinking.

"She's like Kurama, only the demon who has been bound to her didn't do it willingly. The demon, Gin, is strong, and was once a powerful dragon-type demon that could control poisons, wind, and ice. She was very powerful, but she was killed by one of her kin, and her soul was not able to leave the plane of mortals." Genkai paused for a moment, noticing that Yusuke had turned to give her his attention, "Gin wandered the mortal plane until she was bound to Kagome there. She still possesses her speed, if left unlocked long enough she may be able to take flight, her ability with poison and sometimes ice, but she hates the fact that she is bound to anything. She especially doesn't like me or Hiei."

"What the hell are you talkin'—"

"I'm saying that she is in need of my help, though Hiei seems to be able to help her along as well. You don't need me as much as she does, even if I am getting too old for this. She needs me because she has to learn how to successfully lock and unlock Gin without causing too much damage to her own body, as well as being able to stop her from harming other people. She can only unlock her so far," Genkai sighed. "So shut up and watch."

Gin hissed, slamming her claws against the hybrid's sword again, determined to break the metal into pieces. However, before she could apply enough pressure the hybrid backed off a bit, jumping a short distance away, which made her snarl a bit. The hybrid was teasing her, and even with her speed he was quicker, which meant he could. She hated that, hated the fact that she was bound to a miko, and hated the fact that she was unable to harness her full power in this human body. All because of that bitch Midoriko, who she hated more than any of them.

Sliding her foot out, she slammed her hands against the ground, and opened her mouth as wide as she could. The fangs in her mouth grew a bit more, piercing into the flesh of her lower lip and gums, as she called upon the poison glands now settled in the back of her throat. Almost instantly the taste entered her mouth, but the vapor that spread out over the grounds was not able to harm her in any way. She growled again, though, when suddenly the hybrid's sword came at her, and moved quickly, the vapor cut off.

He landed without a sound, and moved forward, pushing the other demon away from the poison she'd cast out. Her claws slammed menacingly against the metal of his blade and he knew that if he pushed too hard it would break under the pressure, so he quickly backed off, before striking out again. However, the soul now under control of the miko's body was smarter than he gave her credit for, and once again caught the blade against her steel-like claws. At last moment the blade twisted in his hand, and unlike as she'd thought, it sank into the flesh of her hand, causing her to snarl and back away.

Blood dripped from the wound, the skin split open to where she could see the bone as she inspected it, continuing to dodge the tip of his blade. Snarling, pain shooting up her arm when she flexed her fingers, she dropped her hand until it healed. In response she lifted her left one, and allowed her claws to clash again with the metal the hybrid insisted on using, instead of his own hands. She did not understand why he would wish to use such a weapon instead of feeling the blood of his opponent sliding down his hands and arms, but to each his own.

Pushing against him once more, she managed to thrust him away enough that he slide to a stop just before the cloud of poison she'd cast out from her body. Smirking, she moved again, rushing upon him, wishing to suffocate him in the vapor just at his back. She knew that the smell was already filling his lungs from the close proximity, but she also knew that it would not affect him unless he came in contact with it. He had been lucky enough to stop before touching it, else she knew he would already he poisoned and dying, as she wanted him.

Hiei watched her as she slipped down into a mad rushing pace. Her body bent forward more, her feet easily pushing her body forward at her maddening pace. She raised her left hand, the claws lengthening a bit more, as she began to change her speed, ready to slam them both into the poison mist at his back. A smirk lifted onto his lips, though, and he flickered out of sight, watching as her eyes widened, and he easily moved to switch just who was attacking whom.

Gin rushed into the vapor, knowing that it would not harm her, a flicker of doubt entering her mind on what would happen should she stop. Her clothing and the cord of the device her counterpart used to release her from her blasted cage began to sizzle as soon as she did. She hissed, not caring for her clothing, she could get another set, but the music device that her counterpart used was needed if she wished to be released again. She'd nearly destroyed it before and her counterpart had told her that if she did it again she'd never buy another one, thus stopping her from ever being released unless she was going to die. By then the miko wench could find a way to lock her away without troubles, thus keeping her like a true dog on a leash.

Her hand waved, the wind shifting to help the vapor dissipate into the air. It worked quickly, the vapor disappearing and the air clearing of the dangerous poison. She smirked slightly, happy with her control over the wind, but quickly allowed her eyes to resettle onto the hybrid standing not far away. There was a smirk on his face, as if he'd known she'd get rid of the poison, and that angered her. She flicked her left hand quicker than the eye could see, poison flying from the ends, but was disappointed when the hybrid took flight once more. His form disappeared from her view for a brief second; his sudden move confusing, but she quickly caught sight of him again within seconds.

Flexing the fingers of her right hand, a small amount of pain shot up her arm. Glad that it was healing already, the miko's energy gently soothing it from her subconscious, she allowed her fingers to fall limp again. It would do no good to allow the hybrid to know that her hand was almost healed, and almost ready to thrust into his chest to end his life. Once he was gone she would deal with that old woman, and then she would be free as long as the stupid music pounding in her ears continued to play. Her fingers moved again, however, and she thrust her hand out, dodging the blade that nearly lopped off her head, and managed to slice open his left arm. Unfortunately, though, she'd forgotten the poison, which meant it was only a flesh wound.

"She hit him."

"Of course she did, dimwit," Genkai said. "She learns quite quickly. Hiei is lucky that she forgot to use her poison, and he's lucky that he saw the movement she made with her hand, otherwise he would have had his heart cut out."

"She's seriously trying to kill him, isn't she?" Yusuke asked, continuing to watch. The dragon hissed, and dropped back once more, as Hiei scoffed at the wound on his arm. However, he saw the slight shift in Hiei's eyes and knew that he was growing tired of the battle between them. It might have seemed like a simple spar, but in the end that dragon was actually trying to kill him. Yusuke could bet that as time went by she would be able to hit him more and more, which wasn't a good thing for his friend.

"When did you first think that?" Genkai asked. "When she tried to melt him to a pile of goo, or just now?"

"I just thought…"

"Well, you thought wrong," Genkai replied. "This is why she needs me. Hiei may help her, but he doesn't have that much patience in the end, and only does this because she interests him. Maybe not the miko side, but the dragon gives him a challenge." She smirked though, "You should have seen when they first met, though. Quite a shock that one was."

"What?" Yusuke asked, confused.

"Oh, when they met Hiei thought she was going to kill him, along with Yukina," Genkai chuckled. "He got quite a surprise when she treated him like everyone else, and grew angry the more he tried to keep her away from her new friend. He was even more surprised when he found out why she was here, since he attacked her, causing Gin to be released."

"No shit?" Yusuke said, blinking in surprise. Someone that treated Hiei as if he was like everyone else upon first meeting him, that was surprising. Especially with the way he tried to keep everyone else away from him.

His blade gleamed in the sun, and he moved it so that the reflecting light was shining into her eyes. She blinked in confusion, backing away from him for a moment, blinking furiously. Hiei smirked, knowing that her eyes could not handle the extra light being shined into them. A move that normally would have been seen as cowardly, but he needed her confused or distracted in order to bring the miko back into control.

Gin hissed and snarled, trying to move her face out of the way, but the hybrid continued to move the same way, bringing the light back into her eyes. She narrowed them, trying to keep sight of him, her ears trying to pick up the slightly sound of him moving. However, the noise from her throat heightened when she finally brought her hand up in order to block out the light, snarling, "Damn you, hybrid."

Hiei moved.

Gin did as well, jumping backwards. However, the hybrid's hand reached out and snagged the cord attached to the device, which blared the music into her ears, keeping the miko at bay. She hissed as the pieces popped out of her ears, and felt the miko begin to stir when the music disappeared. A snarl escaped her throat, curses slipping past her lips, as she slashed her claws out, pleased when she felt them sink into flesh. The last thing she heard was the hybrid's hiss of pain, and she chuckled as she was pushed back into the cage she'd grown to know so well.

Her body swayed, her eyes closing in the same instant. When they opened they were no longer silver, but blue. She felt her claws shifting back into nails at the same instant that her fangs receded back into her gums. She groaned, her energy rising to heal the wound on her hand, as she blinked lightly. "Hiei?" she asked, confused. She took a step forward, and felt her body begin to fall.

Hiei caught her before she hit the ground, his sword already resheathed. She gripped the front of his shirt, as the blood dripping from his arm dripped onto her shoulder and back. He grunted in reply to her question, and allowed her to lean against him. He knew that she needed to heal the wound, even if it was not that dangerous to his life, for unlike the first blow, Gin had not forgotten to inject her poison into his flesh the second time. The blasted dragon would pay the next time they battled, for he knew that the miko would heal any wound her body acquired once she was placed back in control.

Kagome shifted, feeling the liquid soak into her kimono. "Did she…" her voice was tired, "hurt you?"

"Hn, it will heal," he replied.

"I should heal it," she said, her eyes lowering a bit more, "before the poison spreads."

"If you wish," he grunted, gripping her shoulders a bit more. He'd always wondered why she was tired after she released Gin, but he had to guess that it was because her human body was not used to the demon traits that appeared once she was released. It most likely needed time to recover from the shift. An amazing feat for her race, though, since she didn't die in the first place.

Her hand moved from its position tiredly, touching him lightly in search of his arm. She was so tired, but she knew that she needed to heal the wound and destroy the poison before it killed him. Her fingers touched the skin of his neck, and then tapped gently down his arm, feeling him shift in order to give her better access. Once done, she placed her fingers onto the wound, soft pink and blue tendrils drifting from the tips of her fingers and entering his flesh. Almost instantly she could _feel_ the poison being destroyed and the wound stitching itself back together, and she was happy once it was done.

"Rest."

She nodded, allowing her eyes to close. She knew, even though he hadn't trusted her in the beginning, that he would keep her safe and move her to her room, just as he'd done time and again. She didn't know why he did it, but she was just glad that he was there to help her.

"See," Genkai smirked, "that's why she needs my help."

Yusuke blinked as Hiei lifted the girl into his arms, cast him a small glance, and moved toward the temple. Scowling again, he turned his eyes to the small old woman standing at his side, and said, "Big deal, she's different."

Genkai nearly growled.

"I still need your help, ya old hag!" Yusuke snapped. "You can help me while Hiei's helping her. He seems to be doing a fine job!"

"Dimwit, you just don't understand, do you?" Genkai sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Understand what?" Yusuke asked.

"Forget it." Genkai shook her head, moving to return to the temple.

"Hey!" Yusuke yelled. "I don't care if you're going to help that girl, but I'm not leaving until you help me, ya old hag!"

Genkai muttered to herself as Yusuke tried to get her attention. "Look, dimwit," she said at last, "I'm not helping you anymore. Kagome needs Hiei and _I_ more than you need either of us. So you may as well give up your hope."

"I'm not going to leave until you help me!" Yusuke yelled. "Don't you care that I could get myself killed?"

"Nope," Genkai said.

"Gah, you heartless old… _wench_!" Yusuke shouted.

_--Fin_


	42. Partnership: Uchiha Itachi

_**Title:**__ Partnership_

_**Summary:**__ Itachi's gained a new partner who's very determined to bring in Kyuubi. Except one thing, his new partner is a girl._

**Pairing:** Itachi/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

"Oh, you should have seen her, Tsunade-baa-chan!"

"Naruto!" Sakura growled, bopping her old teammate on the head. "She was trying to kill you in order to take you to their hideout to extract Kyuubi!"

"So?" Naruto asked, looking back at the annoyed Hokage. "She was wicked awesome, especially her jutsu, and she showed a… um… what would you call it?"

"She showed a fondness for her partner," Sai added, his face blank.

Tsunade groaned, wondering whom they were talking about now. She'd wanted a report on their mission, not a _long_ detailed story about a person who tried to kill them. She didn't even know whom they were talking about in the first place, only Naruto's words of "she was wicked awesome". First thing she wished to know: who was she? Second thing: what were they talking about? Third thing: when were they going to leave—or, at least, when was Kakashi going to come back for them?

"Yeah, that's it," Naruto smiled. "A fondness for her partner."

Rolling her eyes, and lifting her head a bit more off her desk, Tsunade asked, "Who, exactly, was _her_ partner? Though, I'm still not exactly sure who this _her_ is."

The teens cast glances between themselves; or at least Naruto and Sakura did, while Sai merely continued to stare blankly at the Hokage. Then, Sakura coughed a bit to get the Hokage's full attention, and said, "Um, Uchiha Itachi's partner, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, and sat up completely. "Uchiha Itachi?" she asked, her tone very serious. Seeing them nod, she asked, "Tell me, are we speaking of the Uchiha Itachi currently apart of the Organization called Akatsuki, or is there another Uchiha Itachi I need to be aware of?"

Sakura sighed, wanting to hit herself.

Sai blinked, wanting to know how much she had actually been paying attention.

Naruto scowled, nearly yelling, "Of course we're talking about _the_ Uchiha Itachi from Akatsuki! What did you think we were talking about?"

"Nevermind that," Tsunade continued. "I was under the impression that Hoshigaki Kisame was Uchiha Itachi's partner. Am I wrong?"

"Well," Sakura said, "he was Itachi's partner."

"_Was_?" Tsunade asked.

Naruto nodded, his mood quickly changing. "Yeah. I'm not sure what happened to the shark-guy, but when I asked Itachi wouldn't tell me. His partner simply stated that Kisame was no longer apart of Akatsuki and she had taken his place."

"Yes," Sakura agreed. "She even wore his ring on her left ring finger, as he did."

"His ring?" Tsunade muttered to herself. "Kisame must be dead then. Now tell me, I would like to know whether or not this woman stated her name when you crossed paths with them."

"Yes," Sai said, drawing the attention to himself. "Once."

Tsunade frowned, "Well, what was it?"

"Higurashi," Sai replied, blinking. "Higurashi Kagome."

Tsunade's eyes darkened a bit, recognizing the name. "That's interesting."

"What is, Tsunade-sama?" Sakura asked.

"The Higurashi Clan members have always thought themselves to be pure of heart, in a sense. Each member that is born has a secret task that they must perform in order to prove that they are pure. If they cannot perform the task then they are cast off around the age of nine, unable to hold the Higurashi name, though they're not shunned from the village. They are polite, but have a legendary temper, and usually try to find peaceful ways of going about everything they do." Tsunade paused, "However, that does not mean that they do not have flaws.

"For a Higurashi to cut off all ties to their clan, for whatever reason, is looked down upon once they have completed the task I spoke of." She paused again, "It is very strange to hear that one has joined Akatsuki."

"Why is it so strange, Tsunade-sama?" Sakura asked, allowing her lips to turn down into a frown. Seeing her sensei with such a serious look in her eye was odd, even for her, especially with this kind of subject. True, she was very serious when it came to Akatsuki, but to be this serious about a clan? She'd never seen this from Tsunade; never.

"A Higurashi, whether male or female, would consider it disgraceful if a member of their clan broke all ties with them," Tsunade said, tapping her fingers on her desk. "They consider the one who broke the ties _evil_, and even the person who did it normally believes such. Most commit some type of suicide or go into a losing battle in order to die, instead of allowing themselves and others to believe them _evil_. However, for her to have joined Akatsuki means that she does not care that she is considered _evil_, a disgrace to her family name, and will most likely do everything in her power to stay alive. She still carries her surname, as well, which means the Higurashi Clan will be trying to capture her, whether to kill her or expel the evil from her soul. She does not seem to care about that, either, which makes the situation all the more mysterious."

"Why is it you know so much about this clan, Tsunade-baa-chan?" Naruto asked curiously.

Tsunade twitched at the title Naruto gave her, but decided to ignore it this _one_ time. "Tell me," Tsunade asked, "did she wear a headband by any chance? Was there one, at least, on her person where you could easily identify it?"

They glanced between themselves once more, even Sai tilting his head slightly to look at the others. Then, at last, Sai shook his head slightly to answer 'no'. The others followed suit, signaling that they too had not seen one.

"Surely she was carrying it," Tsunade frowned, "if she stated her surname." She frowned a bit deeper, her eyes narrowing in thought, before she sighed. "I do not know why she was not wearing one. Perhaps she has hidden it on her person, though I do not know why, when the other members wear theirs, as if with pride…"

"Wait, wait," Naruto brought up his hands, his eyes brightening. "I remember now! She did have one!"

"Really?" Sakura asked, turning her head toward him. "Where?"

"Right here," Naruto smiled, pointing to his waist. "I saw it when she came at me and her cloak opened up. I didn't see the symbol on it, but I did see the strange markings she'd carved into the corner, along with the slash through the middle. I think, though, that she was writing something there before she stopped, since it didn't look completed."

Sakura shook her head, unable to comprehend how Naruto had seen such a thing when the woman had been rushing at him so quickly. Especially when he should have been paying attention to the weapon she'd drawn, or maybe the ninjutsu she'd sent at him. She was amazed that he'd managed to evade the water, or the steel string that came flying out afterward, when he'd been looking at her. A small vein nearly popped out of Sakura's skull when she realized something, and hit Naruto again.

"Ow! What was that for?" Naruto whined.

"You're not supposed to be checking out your opponent, you idiot!" Sakura yelled.

Sai blinked, "She was rather pleasant looking. Unlike you, hag."

Sakura gave a cry of frustration, and turned to Sai. Naruto had been trying to help him make friends, yet still he insisted on calling her that name. She was going to strangle him!

"As amusing as this is," Tsunade said, breaking the fight up almost instantly with her voice, "the symbol that should have been on her headband should have looked like this." She pushed forward a piece of paper with a roughly drawn symbol—not the best she'd ever done, but good enough for them to recognize.

"Amegakure?" Sakura blinked, tilting her head slightly as she approached the desk. "How do you know anything about that village, Tsunade-sama? Or, rather, how do you know so much about a clan within it?"

"Not important," Tsunade said, her eyes sharp.

"Huh?" Naruto blinked at the piece of paper a couple of times. "Where is this village even located?"

Tsunade sighed, and muttered to herself for a second. "That's not important, Naruto. Just know that she was from Amegakure, which makes her a specialist in water jutsus, and most likely a few others things that she's picked up over the years. Especially if she's become apart of Akatsuki."

"Well duh, I already knew that," Naruto snorted. "She threw enough of them at me while that stupid Itachi simply stood there. And those weird, but awesome pieces of string that she used."

Tsunade was confused, "String?"

"Yes, it looked like steel," Sakura said. "It seemed to have a mind of its own, and it stole our chakra the way that Kisame's sword would have. If Kakashi-sensei and Yamato hadn't shown up…" she gulped, "I don't think we would have made it out alive." She stopped for a moment, and then stuck out her finger, "She controlled the string with a small amount of her own chakra, yet it moved like Gaara's sand, while she sent out water and wind based jutsus at us, or fought us using her taijutsu."

Naruto nodded in agreement, "Yeah! Even cooler, it came out of nowhere!"

"It came out of the ground, Naruto," Sakura grumbled.

"I see," Tsunade said. "We'll need to be more careful then. We don't know much about this new member, so we don't want to go blindly into battle with her. So," she scowled, "the next time you even catch a glimpse of her and Itachi, run."

Sai's eyes narrowed in response, while Sakura and Naruto stared at the Godaime Hokage with wide eyes. It was obvious that she knew something that they didn't, she knew something important, something that might save their lives, yet she wouldn't tell them. They wondered what it was, but they knew better than to go against the Hokage's word.

"Now," Tsunade scowled a bit deeper, "get out of my office."

* * *

The wind shifted, her silent companion turning his head toward the shinobi that walked out of the trees. A boy around the age of fourteen led them, a deep scowl on his face as he shivered a little, but he managed to stand firm. A small smirk formed on the face of the female, which made the boy scowl a little more. She turned her head toward her companion, and nodded her head, saying, "You may leave. There is no need for both of us to stray from our task."

"I don't think so," the boy snapped. "Our mission is to rid this world of your evil, but the Uchiha is evil from birth; he must die as well. We will hunt you forever, you and the evil you carry on your shoulders."

The woman allowed a smile to cross her face, her hand coming up to push her straw hat over her eyes, the small bells tinkling in response to the move. Though she'd revealed herself to the group of shinobi from Konohagakure, she refused to part with the hat, even after her companion told her to leave it. If she had to, in the end, she would take the bells from it and cast off the hat, but she felt no need for that yet. "Little Souta," she chuckled, "how you've grown. It almost hurts me to see how deeply you've been drawn into the web your clan weaves."

The boy snarled, tears coming to his eyes as he took a step forward. "It would be your clan if you hadn't been so foolish and allowed evil to consume you!"

"As if I would want such a stubborn group of fools to be mine," she sighed, pulling the straw hat over her head and tossing it to the ground. "But," a kunai was revealed, twirling on her fingers, "if you will not allow us to pass without trouble, I will feel no remorse in killing you and your views of the world. After all, what is a world filled with good without evil?"

"A better place to live!" Souta yelled, rushing forward. He almost cried out when he was forced to a sudden stop, the Uchiha male suddenly before him. His eyes widened, watching as his new opponent's eyes closed and opened, and knew what would happen next. Then a scream tore from his throat, his mind easily falling into the world of Tsukiyomi.

"Damn," another hissed, "don't look into his eyes!"

"I'm afraid that won't help you." They each looked up, a few catching the red eyes of the male and falling easily under the spell of the genjutsu he was using. The others barely had a chance, steel strings wrapping around their bodies as they screamed. Then, the woman jumped away from them a small distance, her hand thrust out to her right side, and the strings tightened. Blood splattered onto the ground, their chakra draining into the string as it took their lives.

Souta sunk to the ground, his mind falling back into his body. A small noise echoed from his throat, before he felt a hand grab his collar. He was lifted into the air, and he tried to glare at the woman holding him, but he was unable to control his body yet. A small trail of drool escaped his mouth, though, as his lips lifted into a smirk. "Go on," he whispered furiously, "kill me. Or can't you? Is it that even underneath the evil that's taken over your body, you still care for your baby brother?"

Her eyes narrowed, "No. But you will be a good example for the rest as to why you and those pitiful fools should not attempt to attack us again." She tossed him, allowing him to crumble into the blood of his followers, as another smirk pulled itself onto her lips. "You may consider me evil, Souta, but isn't it said that good always triumphs over evil? Weren't you taught that as I was?"

"Monster," he hissed.

"Tell me, Souta," she demanded. "I have _triumphed_ over you and your followers; doesn't that make me, _good_, and you, _evil_? Your views are shallow. Try growing up, instead of playing peace maker with the rest of those fools."

"I am pure," Souta spat. "You're evil, Kagome." His eyes slid closed, his body beginning to shut down for rest. "I wonder, how long can you live with that knowledge?" he whispered, before falling into a dreamless sleep.

"So weak," Kagome sighed. "It is almost a shame."

She grabbed the hat she'd tossed away, holding it loosely in her fingers. Then, she turned to her companion, her partner, and nodded slightly toward him. He stared at her, and turned away to continue on their path toward Konohagakure. However, she cast one last glance at the boy who'd fallen so quickly, a frown playing on her lips. "You may consider yourself pure, but you forget that I passed that test as well, little brother. But I must leave you now, I have a Jinchuuriki to catch."

He groaned, almost as if he'd heard her.

* * *

They stood frozen, watching them together, as the woman suddenly leapt behind her male companion, her back directly at his. Someone yelled for them not to look into his eyes, but it was too late, for they were already pulled deeply into the genjutsu they had tried so hard to keep themselves from falling into. Some were lucky, having dealt with the jutsu before and managing to cast their sight down long before the word was given, thus saving themselves from the world of Tsukiyomi.

A small frown formed onto her lips as she watched him, noticing the moment that a small shiver went through his body. At that moment she knew that he was unable to hold onto the genjutsu any longer, even with the mastery of his doujutsu. He had used it too many times that day, and she had no doubt that he would have to rely on something other than his eyes for this battle. However, a small amount of concern found itself into her mind, and as she past him, she allowed her hand to brush up against his arm.

"Crap," Naruto mumbled, turning his head up when he noticed that the ones caught in Itachi's genjutsu slumped to the ground unconscious. He noticed that Sakura was standing not far off, but Sai was nowhere to be seen at the moment. He was just happy that Sakura was still standing, having closed her eyes so she didn't look into Itachi's eyes.

"You should be paying more attention to your opponent, Kyuubi," a voice whispered into his ear. Naruto swung around, his eyes widening, when he realized his mistake. He should have never taken his eyes off of the new partner that Itachi had, but there was something strange. When he turned, she wasn't there, even though he could have sworn he'd heard her speaking in his ear. And then he realized his second mistake: allowing her to distract him, though he wasn't sure how she was doing it.

Swinging around, he saw the fire jutsu headed his way at the last moment, and barely managed to evade it. There had been no time to counter it with a water jutsu, and he was lucky to have gotten out of its path without getting himself fried. He was positive that it had come from Itachi, for a moment later the hair on his neck rose, and he once again barely managed to move out of the way as a sea of water came crashing down upon previous his position. However, the water continued to rush into the area, and he noticed instantly that the two Akatsuki members were channeling chakra into their feet in order to stay atop of the roaring waters, while his companions were swallowed in the currents.

"Poor little Kyuubi, lost at sea."

The voice was in his ear again, but he ignored it, swimming to the surface when the water calmed, though it did not recede. Worry for his fellow Konohagakure shinobi filled his mind, but he had to quickly turn his attention to the two Akatsuki members advancing on him. He noticed that Itachi's eyes were onyx in color, the sharingan having faded from their depths, and his female partner, Kagome, was standing close to his side. As he watched them, though, standing on top of the water at last, he couldn't quite process just how quickly they moved, and in unison.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled from somewhere behind him. "We were told not to engage them in battle! Naruto, _run_!"

They were suddenly flanking his sides, both of them having moved so quickly that he wouldn't have had time to escape. Kyuubi began to whisper in his ear, as Naruto felt adrenaline begin to pump through his veins. However, Kyuubi's words were drowned out by a roaring wind, and he turned in time to see a large vortex heading at him from Kagome's side. Heat was next, and he turned his head in time to see the fire heading toward him from his other side. Knowing that he wouldn't have time to escape, Naruto stopped the chakra flow to his feet and allowed himself to sink beneath the surface of the water.

Itachi appeared at her side, and she frowned slightly. "He got lucky," Kagome snorted toward her partner. She quickly eyed the flaming tornado just far enough above the surface of the water that it did not suck the sea she'd created into its vortex. However, with a few quick seals she blew outward, the winds lowering closer to the water until finally it began to pull the water into the swirling vortex, smothering the flames, but pulling the boy up into the vortex as well.

"You must not underestimate him," Itachi said emotionlessly, eyeing the female at his side.

"As I am aware," Kagome replied. She caught his eye for a moment, but looked away in order to watch the vortex she'd created. If she got lucky the boy would drown, and then they would only have to haul his lifeless body back to the base. However, she knew that Kyuubi, being the nine-tailed fox, would not be one to die so easily, or be captured without a fight—she was positive it was the same even if he was in a human body. And she wasn't usually lucky at anything other than cards.

"Naruto!" Sakura screamed.

Quite suddenly the water vortex burst apart. Kagome narrowed her eyes, stepping slightly to one side, closer to her partner since he was more familiar with this village than she was. She noticed that the boy, Naruto, was unconscious, most likely on the verge of transforming, and in the arms of an older male with silver hair. The boy was settled onto the ground as the man narrowed his visible eye at them, which caused Kagome to narrow her own eyes a little more, stepping even closer to Itachi until she was directly at his side.

Itachi's own eyes narrowed a bit. "Hatake Kakashi," he addressed the jounin. "Once again you interfere."

Sakura gave a sigh of relief, "Kakashi-sensei."

"Uchiha Itachi," Kakashi said. He turned his eye to the woman dressed in the Akatsuki cloak, and continued, "Higurashi Kagome. I'm afraid that I can't allow you to have Naruto."

"Do you expect to defeat us on your own?" Kagome asked. She doubted that this single shinobi could take on both of them, whether they worked together or separately. However, she shifted her foot slightly, and saw that his eye moved down to the movement. A small smirk formed on her lips.

"No," Kakashi said. "I plan on keeping you occupied until backup arrives."

Her smirk turned into a scowl. Her foot slid outward, as she felt Itachi's cloak brush up against her own. Almost instantly, her seals already completed, steel wire shot out of the ground, her chakra channeling through each thin cord. She watched as Kakashi grabbed Naruto by the collar and jumped away from his spot, and just in time for the wire to hit the ground, easily redirect course, and chase after them. Then she shot out her hand, once again brushing up against her partner, causing the wire to travel at a quicker pace.

Itachi allowed his eyes to flicker over her once more, before turning his attention back toward the evading jounin. The amount of chakra that Kagome used to control the wire was surprising small, so he doubted that Hatake would be able to avoid them forever. He knew that using jutsu against the thin wire was pointless, but he had no doubt in his mind that the jounin's mind would quickly process that they _should_ work against the steel, and gain quite a surprise once his life was taken. Unless he was aware that the steel wire drained an opponent of chakra, and was quite resistant against most jutsu, he did not stand much of a chance.

The process continued, and Kakashi noticed how the two stood closely together. If he survived he would report his findings to the Hokage, and if he didn't, then hopefully he'd kept them at bay long enough for backup to arrive. However, knowing that he could not continue this process forever, Kakashi began to search for a way to escape. The wire had yet to touch him, though it came close enough to drain small amounts of his chakra, which he had no doubt helped her control the wires, or as Naruto had called it, string. The small amount of chakra draining and carrying Naruto would eventually catch up with him and he would either falter or trip, neither of which he wanted to happen.

Kagome's senses alerted her to the attack a few moments later, and she turned her head as she shoved herself backwards into Itachi. As they hit the ground, though she was surprised he hadn't caught them both from falling, hundreds of cloned shuriken went flying over them. As soon as she hit the ground, she went into another series of hand seals, and then thrust her hand out, more wires swarming out of the ground in front of them, blocking the new swarm of shuriken. She rose to her knees, and saw that Itachi had done the same, his hand now settled onto her shoulder.

Kakashi turned his head, noticing that the wires following him slowed as Kagome's attention was diverted from him. Shifting Naruto, he watched as a boy stepped out of the shadows, a fire in his eyes, and a deep scowl on his lips.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

"Sakura, stay there!" Kakashi ordered, watching as the chuunin stopped instantly, nodding.

Kagome frowned, "Souta."

"I told you, _sister_," Souta spat out. "We will hunt your evil forever. There will be nowhere you can hide from the Higurashi Clan, from _me_." Tears gathered in his eyes, and split over his cheeks. "I thought about it, though, and I noticed that you are still pure of heart; you're still good. But," he laughed, glancing at Itachi, "you changed because of _his_ evil. You are evil because you want to be disowned in order to follow the evil that has always been within _his_ veins. You want to be his partner, at his side, but if he is dead, then there will be no evil for you to attach yourself to, and you will be pure of heart again!"

"Fool," Kagome spat back. "You may be my brother, but it is clear to me now that you truly are incompetent. You will never understand what I am trying to make you see, and it is because of _that_ small fault that I will end your life, Souta. If you take a step toward me, I will kill you."

Souta blinked, but a small smirk formed onto his lips. "You can't kill me. I am of your blood, Kagome!" Souta shot forward, his arms outstretching, as if embracing her would erase the evil that filled her body—expel it from her very flesh. However, his motions were halted when suddenly a barrage of kunai came down upon him; each and every one entering his flesh and knocking him back a bit more. Blood dripped from the wounds, as he heard a feminine gasp, though he knew it was not from his sister, and he smiled a little. "I still love you… Kagome-nee-san…"

Sakura's mouth fell open, her eyes wide at the sight of the boy falling backwards. A small smile was on his lips, blood dripping from his mouth, but she was positive that he could not be saved; otherwise she would have gone against Kakashi's orders to help him. The amount of weapons sticking out of his body, the amount of blood that she was spilling, there was just no way that he couldn't be dead or near death. And, she just couldn't believe that the woman would kill her younger brother so quickly, and without remorse.

"Foolish little brother," Kagome snapped, turning her head the opposite direction. "Do you think I would not know the difference between killing a clone and the real thing?" The sound of the clone now behind her falling to pieces confirmed what she had already known, but the next sound caused her to stiffen.

Itachi had already stood; his eyes focused on the hiding place the boy had taken as his clone came out into the open. He blinked at the next declaration to hunt them and their evil, before the boy's chakra signature fled from the area. However, his eyes turned toward the shinobi now arriving, and allowed his eyes to narrow. Turning his attention to his partner, he gripped her shoulder a bit harder, and said, "We will retreat for now."

"Damn him. I could have had that brat by now if it wasn't for him," Kagome hissed. However, she nodded, her eyes narrowing at the sight of who lead the group of shinobi. When their eyes met, she noticed that the older woman was looking at her with a bit of worry, but she did not care for the feelings of her previous sensei. Besides, the woman had truly only trained her in the healing arts because of the money she'd been paid by the elders, she had no real reason to worry about her.

"Come," Itachi ordered. He disappeared, and knew the exact moment that his partner followed him away from the battlefield.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, but allowed her head to lower as the shinobi at her side asked whether they should pursue or not. She nodded, however, and watched as they shot after the Akatsuki members with a slightly heavy heart. She'd noticed the way that she'd simply followed Itachi's orders, and she'd heard the other Higurashi members words, which gave her numerous amounts of possibilities to go off of. However, she turned her attention toward Kakashi, determined to get information out of him, hoping that there was some way to save her old student.

Sighing, and feeling old, Tsunade wondered, _what reason do you have, Kagome? Why have you joined Akatsuki, thrusting aside all the beliefs you had as a child? How can I help you?_

Kakashi coughed a bit, allowing a medic-nin to take Naruto from him. "Tsunade-sama?" he said. Seeing her give her attention to him, he continued, "Naruto's information was correct. It would seem that Higurashi Kagome is rather close to her partner, though to what extent is unknown."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes a bit more, feeling the need for alcohol at that moment. _Damn it. I knew I would have another reason to not trust that damn clan after that brat left the village. Damn it, I should have seen this coming._

_--Fin_

* * *

**_KibaSin:_** Yes, I know there isn't much interaction between Itachi and Kagome, however, it was called _Partnership_ for a reason. Anyway, I hope that everyone enjoyed their Independence Day and hope that you're doing well.

Thanks again for reading,

_Kiba_


	43. Anything: Hyuuga Neji

_**Title:**__ Anything_

_**Summary:**__ She was being placed on trial by the council and it was all his fault; because she loved him, and she'd decided to take the path that made her do anything for him to make his life better._

**Pairing:** Neji/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

Glares were cast at her from all sides, and some of them could not understand how she could manage to smile as she gazed into the serious face of the Godaime Hokage. She smiled so softly, her eyes shining, as they accused her of things over and over again—some were ridiculous, but they were things that caused her eyes to twinkle a little more, as she obviously reminisced over the items they brought forth. Others, however, were very grave, and it was surprising to see such a young girl, a girl that was not more than chuunin level, smile so softly as they brought forth such issues.

Hiashi's glare intensified, and he turned his full attention to the Godaime Hokage, seeing her staring at him with a serious look etched deeply into her eye. "This girl," he spat, "has upset the balance of our clan."

Tsunade lowered her head a bit, continuing to support her chin on her hands. "Continue, Hiashi-san," she commanded, noticing him stop as if for dramatics. It was already bad enough that the girl had to have the entire Hyuuga council against her; he did not need to drag this meeting out longer than need be.

"We do not meddle into the secrets of other clans'," Hiashi stated. "We do not go out of our way to try and change something within those clans' if we find it against what we believe, either. Yet this girl, this _Higurashi_, has come into our family and meddled, as we do not, Hokage-sama. If she were younger, a child that did not understand her actions, we would not press this matter so harshly, but she is obviously _not_ a child, and should be placed for judgement."

Tsunade sighed, "Tell me, Hiashi-san, what exactly she has done to upset you so? You have yet to mention that." Really, did every clan make it their sole duty to irritate the hell out of her? It was times like these that she felt like getting something really strong to drink, along with borrowing some money in order to _really_ gamble. Make some big bucks! Others might call her foolish for continuing to try, but today she'd felt lucky until this had all started.

A Hyuuga elder spoke up from the background, "That girl has erased the curse mark from one of our clansmen! The mark is designed, as you know, to keep the secrets of the Byakugan, yet she has come into our clan, and wiped it clean from our clansmen. That girl has—"

Tsunade lowered her hand, "I understand." Propping it back underneath her chin, she turned her head so that she could see the solemn faces of the other elders staring down at the girl. Obviously they'd need to get to the bottom of this or that girl was going to die, and she didn't want to sign anymore paperwork for the day. She really, really didn't want to, and especially not execution papers for a girl that brought her herbs whenever she requested them. Dealing with the girl's grandfather was annoying; she'd rather deal with the heiress. "However, I would like to see this Hyuuga whose curse mark has been erased. I wish to see it for _myself_, if you don't mind?"

"Of course not, Hokage-sama," another Hyuuga elder said. He turned his head to the ANBU standing at his right, and commanded, "Bring forth the boy!"

Her head lowered a bit more, but she turned her head when the doors opened again, and in he stepped. His pupil-less eyes met hers, the emotion in her eyes reflecting briefly in his own, before they turned emotionless and he looked around the room. She smiled a little more, continuing to watch him as he walked forward, toward the Hokage. She tugged slightly at her bonds as he past her, and wished desperately that she could reach out to him, touch him in some way, but he merely sent her a small, sad glance, and continued forward to the Hokage.

"Hyuuga Neji?" Tsunade questioned. "You're the one whose curse mark has been removed without permission of your clan elders?"

"Yes," he replied without hesitation. It was pointless to lie to the Hokage, and even if he wished to, this was what destiny had given them. Life would go on if they decided her fate to be death, and though he would mourn her, he would continue to live with her in his memory. If the council decided she would be sentenced to death, there was nothing more he could do for her, though a part of him wished that he could merely whisk her away and never return here.

Tsunade allowed her gaze to drift, resting once again on the quiet girl. "Higurashi Kagome," she said, catching the girl's attention completely as she straightened herself, "how do you plead?"

"I cannot plead innocent, Tsunade-sama, or I am the one who removed the mark from him," Kagome smiled. "And I did it happily."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, feeling the hostility from the Hyuuga Clan rising in the room. Returning her gaze to the Hyuuga now standing in front of her, she commanded, "Show me. Show this council that your mark has truly been removed, Hyuuga-san."

Neji nodded, and brought his hands up. His headband slipped away easily, and the bandages he'd been so used to wrapping around the mark soon followed, revealing his unmarked flesh. He heard sharp intakes of breath from some of the elders, while soft hissing sounds came from the clan behind him. He could also feel Hiashi's glare on his back, almost like his uncle was disappointed that he'd allowed Kagome to free him. His uncle would have understood if he had been born second and placed into the branch family, as had been his father, Hizashi's fate.

Tsunade frowned a bit more, and then turned her attention back to the girl. "Higurashi Kagome," she began again, "how is it that you removed such a mark? You told me, when you tried to remove Uchiha Sasuke's curse mark, that it is impossible to remove a mark that has been on the user for that period of time. How is it that you, the heiress of the Higurashi Clan, removed a mark that has been on this Hyuuga, yet could not remove Uchiha Sasuke's, when it is clear the Hyuuga's was placed upon him much, _much_ sooner than Uchiha Sasuke received his own?"

Kagome tipped her head in acknowledgement to the question, but continued to smile, even though she was being accused of lying. "I could not remove Uchiha Sasuke-san's curse mark completely because the shinobi who gave it to him, Orochimaru, is stronger in chakra, whether holy or not, than I. Not only that, Tsunade-sama, but Orochimaru injected Sasuke-san with a poison when he marked him, and that poison has become apart of him, keeping the curse active, even when he is dead. The most I could do was try and destroy the poison, and then use Sasuke-san's own chakra and aura to seal the curse to where he could use it at desperate times without losing himself to it," she said.

"Even so," Tsunade said, "how was it that you removed a curse mark that was placed long ago, even if it did not involve the poison you speak of?"

She allowed her lips to tip a bit more, "I remember that conversation you spoke of, Hokage-sama, and not to be rude, but I remember telling you that it is _almost_ impossible and it also depends on the type of curse when it comes to removing them."

Tsunade snorted, but nodded in any case. She knew the girl long enough to know that she did not lie, so there was no reason to believe she was doing so now. "Tell me, though," Tsunade said again, "_how did _you remove Hyuuga Neji's curse mark?"

"Because," she began, "though the Hyuuga curse mark is intertwined into a person soul, as Sasuke-san's had been, it is truly dormant until the Hyuuga dies. It is simply a mark that has a great hold on the person until they die and it activates to destroy the secrets behind the Byakugan.

"Whereas Sasuke-san's curse mark had been given to him by a Sannin, a shinobi far greater in strength than I, the Hyuuga curse mark is given by the head, a shinobi not as strong as any Sannin. The mark intertwines itself into the persons soul, but not nearly as tightly as Sasuke-san's, because the shinobi who places it does not have the kind of power to make it control or persuade the shinobi it is placed upon to do as the shinobi who placed it wishes. Sasuke-san's, along with the poison, held him in such an embrace that it was impossible to break it, but Neji's, any Hyuugas', is not nearly as tight, and was easy to untwine once I found the base."

Her eyes flashed, her doujutsu just underneath the surface, as she turned her eyes toward the Hyuugas' behind her. "I can see it," she said, "just as you know any Higurashi can see any curse, any true evil or small traces of _youki_ which cling to Jinchuuriki. I can see it, and all I needed to do, Hokage-sama, was pull a few strings that had been placed and then it tore itself apart."

"Higurashi Kagome," an elder coughed, "you do realize under what light this places you, do you not?"

"Yes," she said, her eyes shining brighter. "I do realize it, and I understand why you would choose to sentence me to death," she noticed that Neji had turned to her sharply, "but I will never remove another curse mark from another Hyuuga."

"How can we be positive you will never do this again?" a Hyuuga elder demanded. "You have already upset the balance within our clan, and there is no telling how much more you could cause. You're word is as good as…"

"Enough," the elder next to him hissed, "we do not need to listen to your rambling at the moment. Tell us, Higurashi Kagome, why it is you will never remove another curse mark, though I, too, seriously doubt your word?"

She met Neji's eyes, and smiled, not realizing the Godaime Hokage had seen the exchange between their eyes. "I have no reason to remove any other curse marks. I have no ties to any other Hyuuga, so why would I wish to remove their marks? Yes, perhaps out of the goodness in my heart, but I would have no true reason to remove any other curse mark. And," she sighed, "I do not do things without good reason."

Hiashi narrowed his eyes completely, glaring intently at the girl standing there so innocently, gazing at his nephew. "Then what reason did you have for removing the curse mark from Neji? Why is he so important to you that you would remove the mark that has been with him nearly his entire life, yet you would refuse to remove other marks?"

She turned toward the head of the Hyuuga Clan, and tilted her head to one side. "I would say that you are rather blind, Hiashi-sama," Kagome smiled. "But, I was blind, too, in the beginning."

"Stop speaking in riddles, girl," Hiashi growled, his eyes darkening.

"The reason is my own," she stated. "You have no right to know it."

An elder at the left of the Hokage leaned forward, her voice strong, "Higurashi Kagome, heiress of the Higurashi Clan, and next keeper of the Higurashi shrine." She addressed her, watching as she turned her head toward her, and allowed her lips to thin, "You do realize, do you not, that without a truly good reason for removing Hyuuga Neji's curse mark, you will be sentenced to death? You realize, do you not, that you will be leaving everything you hold dear behind?"

Kagome finally frowned.

"I know that the Uchiha heir, Sasuke, holds great fondness toward you since you helped him gain control over his curse mark," she continued. "Have you thought that perhaps, should you die, he will lose complete control over his curse mark?

"I know," she went on, "that you have only one sibling, a younger brother named Souta. What will happen to him should you die, sentence yourself to this death? And, I know that though he is the only blood sibling you have, you consider a young boy by the name of Shippo, a monk on the grounds, Miroku, and another skilled shinobi, Sango, to be your siblings. I also know, from what we have been told, that there are many within your clan that you hold dear, and they return the feelings? What will happen to them should you decide to allow this fate to behold you?

"I know," she said, "because I, too, am a Higurashi, as you know. Yet, it seems to me that you are rather willing to die, even when your clan is in desperate need of you. Not only because you are one of the only women to be born within the clan for the last seventeen years, but because your brother is not nearly ready to take the clan under his watch. You must face the facts, Higurashi Kagome," she was cut off as Kagome cast her a rather dark look.

"To you," Kagome growled, "it is Higurashi Kagome-sama, Higurashi Fubuki. And don't you dare mock me about what will happen should I die. I know full well what will happen to those people, and I know full well that they will one day be able to pull through the horror of my death. They, unlike how you make them sound, are strong, and the Higurashi Clan shall not die so easily." Her eyes flashed a deep purple, the blue suddenly shifting to become the pupil. She tried to take a step forward, "Higurashi Fubuki, do not dare try and lecture me. I know what I am doing, I know the consequences of my actions—I am no longer the child that you taught."

Fubuki frowned deeply, "Your feelings, Kagome-sama, are strong. I can feel them, but still I do not believe that you fully understand what may happen should you not tell this council the reason you removed Hyuuga Neji's curse mark. You were a foolish girl when I first began to teach you and it seems that you have not managed to pull past that stage yet!"

"You have forgotten your place," Kagome hissed, her authority showing through her happiness.

"You're not head yet," Fubuki's eyes flashed, "and it appears that you _never_ will be."

Hiashi's quick thinking made him smirk a little, and he noticed that Neji had settled a glare upon him. Their timing couldn't have been anymore perfect. "This," he motioned toward them, "is exactly what I spoke of, Hokage-sama. The Hyuuga Clan does not meddle into the affairs of other clans', why should this Higurashi heiress be able to meddle into ours'?"

"You wish to know?" Kagome growled. "I will tell you if you truly wish to know, Hiashi-_sama_."

Hiashi frowned, along with a few of the elders that thought perhaps the display would get the girl out of their hair.

"Enough," Tsunade groaned. "Kagome, explain to me this sudden change of position you've shown."

"The Higurashi Clan is set in ranks, much like the way a village is," Kagome said, her anger fading into the background as she turned her attention to the Hokage. "There is the head, the highest rank. Heir or heiress is the second highest. The third highest rank is elder. The other ranks are not important at this moment, but each and everyone has a certain position depending on what they do within the village. It is almost as if we are a small one of our own. The ranks are set in order to keep _balance_," she mocked the Hyuuga's words, "to keep those lower in the family from prying into things they should not."

Tsunade blinked in confusion, though she understood small pieces.

"Each rank has a certain thing that they must do within the clan, whether it is watching over another, or bringing in money. We work as a whole, but those who think they're higher than another rank are punished. I am second highest in my clan, no one but my mother has right to do as the elder beside you has unless I give permission for him or her to do so. As you can clearly see, I have not," Kagome's eyes flashed again, "but I shall not punish her here."

Fubuki leaned backwards, bowing her head in acknowledgement. The rules of the clan were far more strict than that of the village; by speaking out of turn she could very well get herself disowned, even with her age. However, the idea was brought to her mind, and she turned toward Hiashi, noticing that the Hyuuga narrowed his eyes from the way she'd straightened up again. "Tell me, Hiashi-sama, have you thought about punishing the boy?"

Hiashi blinked, "Why would we punish someone of our own clan, when the Higurashi is old enough to understand the course of her actions? The curse mark can be replaced—"

"No," Neji spoke up. "Hiashi-sama, the curse mark cannot be replaced."

"What?" Hiashi asked.

Kagome nodded, her soft smile returning to her face. "The miko properties within the Higurashi Clan are a safeguard to make sure that curses we place under our control cannot be replaced, nor can a new one be placed, as well—it also acts as a safeguard to any demon sealing, making sure the demon cannot break free. One outside the clan may not understand that completely, but," she paused, "a good example would be Uchiha Sasuke-san. The miko properties in my clan will make it so that even if I die he will not be able to lose himself within the power of his curse mark unless under dire circumstances. The miko properties within my blood will stop the original, a new, or an alerted version of the Hyuuga curse mark to be placed onto Neji."

Hiashi turned his attention back to the Higurashi elder. "That may be," he growled, "but why would we punish Neji, when it is clearly the Higurashi's fault for removing the curse mark in the first place."

Fubuki smirked, "The boy seemed to speak up quite quickly when you mentioned the curse mark being replaced. It is clear to me that he knew the curse mark would never be able to be placed upon him again. Besides, he had to be willing for the Higurashi purification to work upon him."

A Hyuuga elder snapped, "What are you talking about?"

"The Higurashi purification," Fubuki continued, "unlike chakra, cannot be forced upon a human. The purification properties in the Higurashi chakra cannot be forced upon any unwilling human—perhaps a demon, or a human that shows very _strong_ demon traits, but never a human. If you remember correctly, Hyuuga-san, the Uchiha heir had to agree and allow Kagome-sama to help him with his curse mark. If he had not agreed, the purification would not be passed onto the human without Higurashi blood, thus making what was passed on only normal chakra."

"So what?" another snapped, clearly irritated.

"It is clear that he agreed to have the curse mark removed from him. He also knew, as you heard, that another curse mark would not be able to be placed upon him, thus setting him free of any similar curse. It is clear to me," Fubuki said, "that he is at fault as much as the one you're accusing of upsetting your clans balance."

Tsunade sighed. "Hyuuga Neji," she brought his attention to her, "did you agree to have the curse mark removed?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Neji nodded only once.

"When?" Tsunade asked.

"Four days ago," Neji replied.

"Why?" Tsunade continued.

Neji lowered his eyes, becoming quiet. Then, after a few moments of silent thinking, he lifted his eyes, and replied, "Because she asked me. She asked me if I would want to be free of the curse mark and I told her yes."

"Because she _asked_ you?" a Hyuuga spat. "The curse mark hides the secrets of the Byakugan and you wished to get rid of it because she _asked_ you?"

"Yes," Neji nodded.

Tsunade raised her hand before the Hyuuga elder could begin again, and turned her eyes away from the Hyuuga standing before her. This meeting was almost as bad as paperwork, and she hated paperwork. They needed to come up with a solution or move the rest to another date. It appeared, however, that not everyone was satisfied with the small pieces they were getting and were waiting to get the entire puzzle created before they decided to even decide on what was going to happen. "Higurashi Kagome," she said, "why was it you asked this of Hyuuga Neji?"

Kagome's smile turned even softer, and Tsunade got the feeling that she was about to get her answer. She wasn't stupid, nor was she blind, she'd seen the way the two acted with each other. Either they were very close, or they were merely putting up a good act in order to get both their butts off the line. From the continuing softness that Kagome showed, though, something she'd never seen the girl show within a crowd or with a group of over eight people, she had a pretty good guess that it was the first option.

"Because it was in my power to do so," Kagome said. "And… I will do anything for the man I love, if it'll make him happy."

Neji turned his head to the side slightly, knowing that had been the reason she was here. He'd told her to start thinking about herself, yet she'd told him that she wanted to make his life better, to help him in any way she could. She'd asked him if he wanted to be free of the curse mark, of the Hyuuga family, and though it had taken him a while, he'd told her yes. But, he didn't give her that answer only because he still held a slight bitterness toward his uncle, but because he'd wondered what their life could be like, together, if he wasn't held down by the rest of the Hyuuga family. Now he had that chance, but it seemed that destiny might rip the chance away from him.

Tsunade's eyes softened a bit, noticing the tears that were gathering in the corners of the Kagome's eyes. It was clear that she loved the Hyuuga brat greatly, but she also knew that that might not be any reason for the council to give her merely house arrest or restrict her from ever going near the Hyuuga district again. She could understand her wish to make him happy, to free him from something that he believed bound him to the path he followed, though. The others probably did as well, but this trial had not been called for matters of the heart.

"Love?" a Hyuuga elder asked, a slight chuckle in his voice. He had never experienced the emotion, his wife had merely been a way to give him children and help the Hyuuga Clan grow. So, he turned his attention toward the young Hyuuga standing in front of the girl now, staring almost blankly at her, "Tell me, Neji, do you feel the same love as this girl does?"

Hiashi snapped his head around, glaring lightly at the elder. He understood why the girl had asked Neji if he would wish for his curse mark to be erased, but that did not mean that he would allow them to go away unpunished. One of them, since it was clear to him now that Neji did know and agreed to have the curse mark erased, would be punished.

Neji remained silent for the time.

The elder smirked. "It appears that your feelings are one-sided. Perhaps you should have thought about trying to erase the Uchiha heir's curse mark completely, since he's more willing to give you the emotion you seek from one of our clansmen."

Kagome's happy smile disappeared, and she snapped, "He doesn't have to love me! You have no right to ask that of him!"

Neji reached out, brushing her bangs lightly from her face. It drew her attention toward him, her frown turning back into a smile. However, he remained silent still, until finally he reached down and took her hand, pulling it as far as her bonds would allow. "Yes," he replied.

The elders were confused for a moment.

"I do hold a strong affection for her," Neji continued. He did not know why he couldn't bring himself to merely come out and say that he felt love, but it was good enough for her. He knew that because of the way she smiled at him, a tear streaking down her cheek, her eyes sparkling.

"Is that all?" Tsunade asked. "All either of you has to say?"

They nodded.

"Very well—" Tsunade turned her face to glower at the person who dare interrupt her.

"Hokage-sama," Hiashi said.

"Yes, Hiashi-san?" Tsunade sighed.

He stepped away from the elders he'd spoken quickly with. "With the new information of the Higurashi Clan, information the Hyuuga Clan did not know, we have decided that we do not wish for the head of the Higurashi heiress."

"Oh?" Tsunade asked. This was a good thing, she was sure of it. No fighting or war between two families, perfect. "If you no longer wish to have her executed for meddling in your clans' affairs, what do you wish for?"

"Now knowing that the curse mark could not be erased without Neji's approval, without him agreeing to have it removed," Hiashi began, "and knowing the reason behind this incident, we wish merely to ask that Higurashi Kagome, heiress of the Higurashi Clan, shall never be able to touch the curse mark of another Hyuuga member. We ask that if she does, she will be executed, for no other Hyuuga clansmen shall be informed that they must agree to having the mark removed, willing, therefore the secrets would have to be leaked from someone on the outside—_her_ or one of her clansmen."

Kagome's smile dipped down a bit, and she almost said something, but Neji drew her attention back to him. She was happy he could, since she might have gotten a harsher punishment.

"Is that all?" Tsunade asked.

"No," Hiashi said. "We would like to inform the council members that from this day forward, Hyuuga Neji is no longer apart of the Hyuuga Clan."

Gasps rose from the other elders, other than the Hyuugas'.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, "Why is that?"

"Neji is old enough now to support himself, and strong enough to protect himself. He is jounin; he will be able to survive without the Hyuuga Clan behind him. He has disgraced himself by willingly having the curse mark removed from his person, and will no longer carry the Hyuuga name," Hiashi stated.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, and noticed that the jounin and chuunin didn't seem to care. She nodded, "Very well, if that is what you wish, Hiashi-san." She moved her eyes to the two young shinobi, and commanded their attention, "Higurashi Kagome for the removal of the Hyuuga curse mark from Neji you will be placed under house arrest for the next six months. You will have two ANBU escort you anywhere and everywhere you wish to go. However, though you may not remove another Hyuuga from the curse mark within those six months, should I hear of another Hyuuga curse mark being removed, it will be your execution."

"I understand, Tsunade-sama." Kagome dipped her head, and watched as an ANBU stepped forward. She smiled at Neji as he stood at her side, obviously unfazed by the fact that he'd been disowned, his clan believing that he held no honor. The bonds around her wrists were released, and she bowed her head again.

"From this moment on," Tsunade continued, "Neji will no longer be known as a Hyuuga. That is what has been decided, you're dismissed."

Kagome smiled, despite the two ANBU that appeared at her sides, and grabbed Neji's hand. "Come on, Neji, there's a spare room in the Higurashi shrine. I'm positive that mother won't mind you staying!" she smiled a little brighter. Not only had she freed him, but she'd also be able to see what he did now that he was free and help him more and more. That made her happy, but she would do anything for him.

She would even put her life on the line for him, and she was positive that he would do the same.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ Yes, it does end quite abruptly. I tried to make it a little longer, a little smoother finish, but it just wouldn't happen. Besides, this one-shot, I _was_ working on requests, was spawned from fanfiction that I seriously need to stop reading over and over again. I do—completely and utterly—hope that I can finally get around to writing my Kankurou/Kagome, my Mugen/Kagome, my Kyo/Kagome, and a few others, yet my mind continues to pop up with new things, new ideas. Hm, I also need to get information on Kuchiki Byakuya, since I've started one with him, and another with Ishida Uryuu—_Bleach_ is just so fun.

_Kiba_


	44. Responsibility: Ishida Uryuu

_**Title:**__ Responsibility!?!_

_**Summary:**__ Unable to come up with a better phrase he told her something he shouldn't have, and she didn't take it lightly._

**Pairing:** Uryuu/Kagome

**Anime:** Bleach/IY

* * *

Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka began to laugh, each of them unable to hold it in, no matter how hard they tried. Eri's was light and barely heard. Ayumi's was a bit dark, but not much louder than Eri's. Yuka's could be heard about a block away, however, as each of them tried to control themselves.

"Did he seriously just say that?" Yuka asked, grabbing ahold of Ayumi's shoulders.

"Oh, oh dear," Eri giggled, trying to get her laughter back under control.

"Though," Ayumi gulped, trying to keep her laughter in, "I didn't hear the first part, he did."

Yuka laughed a bit louder, saying, "K-Kagome-chan's gonna blow!"

Their laughter caused her to turn a bit redder, not truly believing he'd just told her that. His face was as serious as it was whenever they faced off with Hollows, though she'd only learned of them once she'd come through the well the final time, and they'd sought to destroy her—she hadn't quite understand why they'd never attacked before, but she'd accepted it. The words of her friends told her everything that she needed to know, though, and she turned a darker shade of red in anger. "How… how dare you!"

Uryuu blinked in confused.

"I can't believe you would… would say such a thing," Kagome hissed, glaring at him. "It's-it's not my responsibility to… to do that!"

"But—" Uryuu had a bad feeling that his words had been taken the wrong way.

"Just because our…" she glanced at her friends, oblivious to Mikos and Quincies, "…_lines_ are beginning to fade out of existence, doesn't make it my responsibility to—to do anything with you! Besides, I'm not going to do something like that until I'm ready, so you can forget it, and… and," she gritted her teeth together, grabbing the ring on her finger to pull it off. Once she managed to do so, she held it out to him, and hissed, "You… you can keep this until you can figure out exactly what the hell is wrong with your ass at the moment!"

Eri gasped, her laughter halting instantly. She gazed at the ring that Kagome held out, and watched as Uryuu took it into his own hand hesitantly. Her mouth fell open, tears gathering in her eyes, wondering if she was one of the reasons why Kagome was giving the ring back. "Is… Kagome-chan?"

"I didn't mean—"

"I know full well what you meant," Kagome snapped. "You're not getting out of this one! And," she closed her eyes, "you can deal with the damn Hollows until you get your head out of your ass!"

Ayumi blinked in confusion, "Hollows? Has Kagome-chan lost it?"

Yuka tipped her head to one side. "It must be something that they don't like to talk about, so they called it that so that others won't know about it."

Eri nodded, nearly whispering, "It seems like something Kagome-chan would do, especially if it was really, really bad."

Yuka frowned, "Do you think Ishida made Kagome-chan do something bad?"

"It's probably a bunch of kittens Kagome-chan doesn't want to give away or something," Ayumi muttered. "I doubt that she'd be pulled into something bad; especially something really bad."

Eri nodded again, "Yes. Besides, Uryuu-san is so sweet most of the time." She sighed, a soft smile crossing her face. "I wish that my boyfriend was that kind, that devoted… that…" she sighed again.

Yuka bopped her on the head lightly, "Get your head out of the gutter, Eri-chan."

"B-but it wasn't!" Eri gasp.

"That's very unlikely," Ayumi said, causing Eri to blush a deep shade of red.

Uryuu sighed, bringing his hand up to straighten his glasses back into position. "Kagome," he started, "you're being unreasonable and rash."

"Unreasonable and rash!" Kagome shouted, bringing the attention of Uryuu's friends to them. "You're the one who's talking about my decision to have a family being a responsibility on my part, not the other way around! How dare you even think that I would… would… agh!"

Orihime bit her lip, asking, "Ishida-kun? Kagome-chan?"

"It's not my fault that you told me, 'perhaps we should start thinking about our responsibility to start a family now that we're going to…'," she turned her glare at the shinigami, who backed away rather quickly, as she poorly mocked Uryuu's voice. "What," she demanded, "do you all think I'm being 'unreasonable and rash', too?"

"Finally, entertainment."

"You really shouldn't think of it that way, Rukia-chan," Orihime gasp, turning to the shinigami now standing at her side.

However, Rukia smiled, and shook her head, continuing to watch the drama unfold. "I've always been fascinated with Kagome's temper. I believe she first yelled like this at Ichigo-kun, didn't she?"

"Ah, yes," Orihime nodded, "I believe so."

Ichigo grumbled to himself, crossing his arms over his chest as his scowl came back onto his face. Damn bitch and her damn yelling. He was lucky that he wasn't the cause of her attack, though, since neither of them would back down. Ishida could try all he wanted to calm her down, it wasn't going to help. Then again, it wasn't so bad that she was yelling now, since Ishida deserved it for all those damn Hollows he refused to go after when they had plans, thus making him, Ichigo, have to do it. Sometimes he wondered where the hell the shinigami who was supposed to patrol their sector was, since he seemed to be doing all the work lately.

Uryuu sighed, glad for the small moment when her temper was directed away from him. He wasn't afraid of her purifying him, but unless he summoned every bit of spiritual energy to fight her off she could probably kick his ass if she was angry enough. Her temper was frightening, and he always wondered where the sweet, kind, loving girl he'd seen moments earlier went to whenever she erupted. However, he had to swallow the lump that formed in his throat once she redirected her gaze to him, the fire in her eyes strengthening.

"Besides," Kagome continued to rant, "I might be 'unreasonable and rash', but you're just insensitive!"

Ichigo snickered, seeing how Ishida's mouth dropped open.

"I mean seriously, how could you say something like that?" Kagome growled. "I might be the last Miko—"

Yuka blinked in confusion, "_I'm_ starting to think that Kagome-chan _has_ lost it. There are plenty of Shinto shrines around here that have Mikos as the groundskeeper."

"It was kind of strange that she worded it that way," Ayumi frowned.

Eri said, "Maybe Kagome-chan just worded her sentence wrong?"

Noticing that her friend's were discussing the fact that she had said "last miko", she continued by saying, "—and you may be one of the last of the _you-know-what_," she quickly glanced at them again, hoping they hadn't caught that, "but that doesn't mean that I have to start making a family with you the moment we get married. Hell, it doesn't mean I have to start making a family with you at all!"

Rukia tilted her head to the side, "Do you think the weddings really off?"

Orihime frowned and then shook her head, "No. Kagome-chan, for as long as I've known her, has always had a bit of a temper when it comes to these types of things. She doesn't like people telling her what her responsibility is. I think the last time she blew up was when her little brother Souta told her it would be her responsibility to watch over the shrine, though he is being trained by his grandfather."

"Insensitive?" Uryuu repeated the word. He had not really heard anything else that she had said, except that single word. He could not remember a time that he had been insensitive toward her. In fact, he believed that he had always been the gentleman that he was, which was half of what drew her to him—the other half was probably the fact that she hated anything too normal. Pushing his glasses up once more, he asked, "When have I ever been insensitive?"

"Just now!" Kagome cried. "I can't believe that you would put that kind of pressure onto my shoulders! I love you, but _damn it_, I won't have you push me into having a family!"

"I wasn't trying to push you to do anything," he replied.

"Like hell you weren't!"

Her energy was rising, he noticed immediately. However, he noticed soon afterward that she was clutching the end of her shirt and knew that he shouldn't have said what he said the way he did. He had not meant for her to take it that way, but even though they were to be married, he wasn't quite comfortable talking about their future in front of everyone else. Besides, he had only said it because he wanted to have a family with her, and because Orihime had pushed him to saying something about them trying when she had lightly mentioned that their children would most likely be quite handsome, whether male or female.

"Oh, Kagome-chan's cussing," Eri gave a small gasp. "You remember the last time she did that, don't you?"

Ayumi nodded. "Wasn't it just last winter?"

Yuka nodded, "I remember that. The lights started to flicker and when I asked around the neighborhood no one else said that they had had any power troubles. Oh, and I remember why she started, too." Yuka gave a small shudder.

"Uryuu-san seems to make her bad side come out," Eri stated softly. "Maybe it's a good thing that she gave the ring back."

Ayumi shook her head, "I don't. Ishida-san gives her a little excitement, even if he does manage to make her yell."

"And cuss," Yuka added.

Ayumi nodded, "Yes, and cuss, too."

Orihime noticed the rising energy as well, and knew that it could lead to trouble if her friend wasn't calmed down. She stepped forward and placed her hand onto her shoulder, saying, "Kagome-chan, I don't think that Ishida-kun meant it that way. Right, Ishida-kun?" She gave him a small look that stated quite clearly he had better agree. Orihime wouldn't hurt him, but she knew that Hollows would be attracted to the increase in energy and would come looking for a meal.

Or, maybe something worse would.

"Of course," Uryuu agreed, catching onto what Orihime was signaling. Kagome had always had a strange habit of either walking into situations she shouldn't have, or attracting something that could cause trouble for her. There was no need for them to attract any type of danger at the moment, especially since they were out in the open with many normal humans, all of which could get hurt. "I did not mean to offend you, Kagome."

She huffed, turning her back to him, and grabbed onto Orihime's arm. However, she frowned when she noticed the naked finger on her hand before turning back to him. She stuck her hand out, her anger subsiding quite quickly, and made a clear demand for him to hand it over. When he didn't, staring at her in confusion, she said, "Give me my ring, Uryuu."

"You're the one who stated that I should hold onto it until I could figure out what was wrong with myself," Uryuu said, a smirk tugging at his lips.

She stepped closer to him, "Give me my ring and I'll forget this ever happened."

"I still don't think I should, I haven't quite figured out what you wanted me to," Uryuu stated, leaning into her. She scowled at him, obviously disliking his humor and wanting her engagement ring back on her finger. "Though I am beginning to think that it may be you."

She grabbed his hand, tugging at the fingers that had closed around the ring he had originally given her when he asked for her hand. She scowled deeper, tugged a little harder, and gave a small gasp when she found herself leaning against his chest, her hands fisting into his shirt. "Uryuu," she said softly.

His hand moved through her hair, gently running the strands through his fingers. With the knuckle of his other hand he brushed her cheek as he stared down at her. She suddenly seemed so small and fragile, even though she had clearly showed a large amount of anger not too long ago. "Forgive me?"

She pushed away from him a little, smiling, "Why wouldn't I?"

"Perhaps because I'm insensitive?"

Ayumi shook her head, "Kagome-chan and her mood swings."

"Do you think that it's her time of the month?" Yuka asked.

Eri blushed a little, "Probably."

Uryuu took her hand in his own and gently placed the ring he held in his other back where it belonged. "I did not mean to say that it was our responsibility to have a family," he said after a moment.

"I'm not sorry I yelled at you," Kagome muttered. Seeing him frown a bit, "But, though you shouldn't have said it was my responsibility to have children with you as soon as possible after we're married, I wouldn't mind having children with you because I _want_ to."

"I'd like that," he smiled.

"I know," Kagome pecked him lightly on the lips and straightened herself. "But you're still going to have to wait until after we're married."

Ayumi yawned a bit, before muttering, "At least they've stopped fighting." She noticed that Yuka, Eri, and Orihime nodded at her words.

"Now," Kagome smiled brightly, "what were you saying about ice cream before all this started, Orihime?" She turned to her friend, leaving her to-be-husband behind as she latched back onto Orihime's arm. As they chatted she grabbed onto Rukia's as well and pulled the other woman along with them, waiting for only a moment for Yuka, Ayumi, and Eri to catch up behind them.

"I still think your girlfriend is nuts, Ishida," Ichigo scowled, beginning to walk after them.

Uryuu frowned at him, and pushed his glasses back into place once more. He followed after the women, and stated, "Very soon she will be my wife, Kurosaki, and I hope by then you will show her a bit of respect."

"Whatever," Ichigo muttered.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ You must forgive me for any out of character-ness; I am still new to writing anything with the _Bleach_ characters, even though I love them so, so much. Besides that, I figured that I'd do something a little different, since I was originally going to have them first meeting, something with a Hollow, but decided to go with this in the end.

And please forgive me if the next one does not come out very soon. I am trying to complete the next chapters to two of my Sesshoumaru/Kagome fanfiction, since I really need to get those completed. However, I would like to state that I have quite a few, at least over twenty-five, different one-shots for this in my head, just screaming to be made. The next one should be either: Kagome/Byakuya, Kagome/Multiple (Sasuke, Itachi, and Neji), Kagome/Gaara, Kagome/Miroku, or Kagome/Kyo. I'm not sure which one will be done first.

_Kiba_


	45. Siren’s Call: Sasuke, Neji, Itachi

_**Title:**__ Siren's Call_

_**Summary:**__ The attraction that the females of their clan give off is almost impossible to ignore. And, with a simple few words passing their lips, men can fall to their knees and beg them to let them stay by their side._

**Pairing:** Sasuke/Kagome, Itachi/Kagome, Neji/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

"What?" she demanded, her head shooting up from the position she'd allowed it to end in on her desk. Her tired posture straightened, her dislike for her paperwork fading as she demanded once more what the jounin before her had just said. Surely she hadn't heard those words as she thought she did. "Tell me that you're joking," she demanded. 

The jounin shook a little, "I-I'm sorry, Hokage-sama. I-I'm afraid that I cannot." He gulped, "The facts are the facts, Uchiha Sasuke has gone missing."

"Has he been seen recently?" she demanded. This could not be happening again, there had already been one incident like this before. They did not need for another shinobi to simply disappear without a trace. She could only be slightly happy that the boy's clan was gone, since then she couldn't have it pressed down upon her as the Hyuuga Clan had done with the disappearance of Hyuuga Neji. Then again, Naruto and Sakura may be even worse than Hiashi had been. Plus, there was the Council of Elders to consider once they heard of his leave; _again_, since they were sure to remember the first time he disappeared to be trained by Orochimaru.

"He was seen yesterday with a young woman," the jounin said. "He seemed quite taken with her, and she seemed to be the same with him. However, when you told me to find him for the mission you spoke of… he is no longer in the village, Hokage-sama."

"A young woman?" Tsunade hissed.

"Y-yes," he replied, knowing that he was giving the Hokage before him more of a reason to be angry. He remembered the search that had gone out with the disappearance of Hyuuga Neji, before finally they had given up and labeled him as a missing-nin. He remembered the records, about how Hyuuga Neji had been seen with a pretty young woman before his disappearance; they'd been told that he'd seemed very taken with her, almost to the point that it looked like he'd found love at first sight.

"Was anyone able to give you a description of this young woman?" Tsunade asked.

"A civilian was able to, Hokage-sama," he said hesitantly. "She described the woman as a youth around the age of seventeen with blue eyes, long black hair, and wearing a black kimono. She said that the woman seemed to radiate a sense of peace in such a way that she hadn't wanted her to leave her café."

Tsunade's eyes darkened, "So she returned, did she?"

"H-Hokage-sama?" the jounin asked, wondering what she was speaking of.

"The woman was described the same way when Hyuuga Neji disappeared. We can only guess that she has done the same thing that she did to him to Uchiha Sasuke," Tsunade growled. "I want this woman found. I cannot have anymore valuable shinobi disappearing simply because she radiates a sense of peace and happiness. I want her found, and I want Hyuuga Neji and Uchiha Sasuke returned to their posts."

The jounin bowed his head, "There's one more thing, Hokage-sama."

"Well, what is it?" Tsunade snapped, impatient.

The jounin held out a piece of folded paper and allowed the Hokage to take it. When she'd unfolded it, and gazed at the contents, he continued, "The civilian was able to remember that symbol on the woman's kimono."

Tsunade's eyes widened. The clan symbol that had been drawn onto the paper was one that was known far and wide. A clan that for some reason produced nearly no males at all as offspring, so they went in search of men from other villages—what they called new bloodlines—to see if they could fix the genetic problem. They usually ended up staying in the village the new bloodline came from and sent the males they did happen to birth back to their clan. However, the females, though it was still unknown why the males did not inherit the bloodline trait or kekkei genkai, had what other villages described as the siren's call. "A-are you positive that this symbol was on her kimono?" she asked in a small voice.

"Unfortunately," the jounin bowed his head, "the answer is 'yes', Hokage-sama."

"The village must be put on high alert," Tsunade said. "If this woman truly is apart of this clan then we will need to stop her from taking anymore men under her control. I know that their attraction fades once they have obtained three to four suitors, mates as they call them, but I do not wish to risk anymore shinobi to this woman. You will tell all available kunoichi that they are to watch over two or three men when they are able, making sure that this woman does not take another male from this village."

"I will begin to inform others of your decision, Hokage-sama," the jounin then disappeared in a poof of smoke.

Tsunade crumpled the paper in her hands, wishing she had seen the signs when they'd described how Hyuuga Neji had acted around the strange woman, before disappearing completely the next day. The boy had barely paid attention to anything other than his training, only showing a slight kindness toward his old teammates and his cousin, Hyuuga Hinata. She should have seen the signs, she should have thought it was possible that a female of the clan could end up traveling this far, yet she had thought they would not make it this far for such a purpose. However, the clan prided themselves on producing strong shinobi, whether male or female, so it was not hard to imagine one traveling such a great distance from so deep within Kaminari no Kuni.

* * *

"_We'll be together forever and ever, Sasuke._" 

A smirk tugged onto the elder's lips, before she asked, "So, you have finally found three suitors that appeal to you?"

"Yes, Kikyo-nee-san," she replied, drawn out of the memory that she'd been pulled into. The words had flowed softly into her mind, her voice echoing back to her as she stood next to her elder sibling. They had traveled so far in search of bloodlines that may be able to increase the outcome of males in their clan's population, but she had not expected to find such charming men. She had not expected to feel what she was beginning to feel for them the more she spent in their presence, and she tried so very hard to keep that information from her elder.

Kikyo would not like that—she would not like that at all.

"Good," Kikyo said. She placed a hand onto her younger sibling's shoulder, before stating, "We will be able to sent word to the clan that we have both found men that appeal to us and hopefully, in time, we will be able to see if they are capable of improving the chances of producing males."

She sighed, nodding. For years she had known that Kikyo and her would be the ones to set out in a further distance than anyone had ever gone, besides one other woman. She had known, but she still did not like the fact that her very blood caused the men she'd chosen as her own to stay by her side, instead of them falling for her over time. She had never liked the idea, she had seen it many times when women decided to return to the clan with their suitors, but what was done was done. They had been attracted to her, she had been attracted to them, and in the end she had decided to keep them, as all females of their clan decided.

"We have traveled far," Kikyo continued. "Much farther than any other woman in our clan and we can only hope that these males will have what it takes. After all, Nozomi may have been traveling to Tsuchi no Kuni, but she _was_ killed, and there is no way of knowing if she ever truly reached her destination. We should congratulate ourselves on not only traveling here, but finding such beautiful men—though, I still do not approve of the fact you picked two blood siblings, Kagome."

"I know, Kikyo-nee-san," she bowed her head. She had not been able to help herself, the first male she'd chosen had been because of his strength and the ability she had seen him use with his eyes—such beautiful eyes. The second male had been rather aloof like the others, but she had also found herself drowning in his pupil-less orbs, and she had enjoyed conversing with him. However, when Kikyo had sent her to find her final suitor, since their line normally only took three instead of four, she had found the blood sibling of her first suitor, and his doujutsu had activated instinctively before he had fallen into her call. She found that she could not resist their eyes, it was almost as if she could see their pain and she wanted to sooth it the best she could for as long as she could.

Kikyo sighed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at her sibling. After all, she knew that Kagome was naïve in most ways and the girl would most likely begin to love her suitors—though it was not forbidden, she highly disproved of it, since it brought heartache. The girl had instinctively sensed the troubled souls they possessed, one of the abilities kept secret within the clan, and had been drawn to them like a moth to a flame. Luckily, however, her younger sibling's call had dissipated not long after she'd returned with her final suitor, or else she may have sensed the other soul within the village she'd gone into. She guessed it was a good thing that Kagome had always had a hard time trying to sense the emotions within another's soul with anything more than instinct.

"Nee-san?" Kagome almost whispered, turning her attention back to her elder.

"Hn?" Kikyo allowed pass her lips, signaling that she was listening and would allow a question to be asked. It did not mean she would answer it, but she would allow her sister to ask the question.

"Will we be returning to the clan immediately?" she asked.

"Why do you ask, Kagome?" Kikyo replied with a question of her own. She knew that Kagome relished the freedom that they had at the moment; she would most likely wish to stay within the village she had acquired two of her suitors from. However, she also wished to know why her sibling was so interested in when they would be returning. After all, she did not plan to return quickly, but she did plan to return someday.

"My suitors are all shinobi, as are yours," Kagome began. "I merely wished to know, since I believe it might be a good idea to have Neji and Sasuke return to the village in order to explain why they suddenly disappeared. The guards at the gate were very tense after Neji disappeared, and I can only hope that they're not panicking with the disappearance of Sasuke."

Kikyo frowned a little, "I do not think that it will be necessary, Kagome. The village will be able to handle losing two shinobi, no matter what rank they are, and I am sure that in time they will come to understand and move on with their lives." As she stared at her sibling, though, she knew that Kagome had not been convinced.

* * *

"WHAT!?!" 

"Naruto, calm down."

"CALM DOWN! Calm down!" he yelled back. "How dare you tell me to calm down? He only just returned two years ago, he disappears, and the first thing you tell me after finally allowing me to know is to calm down! We've got to get out there and find him—" His quickly lengthening rant was cut short when a soft hand was placed onto his shoulder and he turned to find his female teammate staring at him with soft eyes.

"Tsunade-sama, you said that Sasuke was most likely taken by the same person who took Neji, didn't you?" the female asked.

Tsunade nodded. "That's correct, Sakura." She sighed softly, clenching her hands in her lap. "However, _took_ is not the word I would use, since they most likely went willingly."

"_Willingly_?" Naruto started up again. "I've known Sasuke and Neji for _years_, Tsunade-baa-chan! They wouldn't have just walked out on Konohagakure because some person asked them!"

"Naruto," Tsunade snapped, not wishing for his crap anymore. "You will shut up until I have finished telling you about the clan that the person came from. Do you understand?"

Naruto lowered his finger, which he had raised in hopes of drilling his point into Tsunade's brain. Of course, he knew that it wouldn't have helped any, but this was serious. Sasuke had returned only two years ago and spent nearly half of that trying to prove that he had only gone to Orochimaru to learn what he could from the Sannin, before returning to the village that he was truly loyal to. Neji was a strong jounin; a person that he knew would not have just walked out on the village that he called home. Sure, he knew that they had given up hope on having Neji return to the village and labeled him as a missing-nin, but he had never known that there was a possibility he'd been taken by force, just that Neji had seemed to like a girl never seen before a lot before he disappeared.

Kakashi gave the younger man a pat on the head, silently telling him that they would do anything to have Sasuke returned. Besides, if he knew his students as well as he thought he did, he knew that they would search until the end of the earth in order to find him. Only the word of the Hokage would stop them from searching, but even then they would hope that he would one day walk through the morning fog and back into their lives. And he knew that only solid proof of his death after that would stop them from hoping.

"This clan is made of mostly women," Tsunade began, "and within a year they are lucky to have four to five boys born into their family line. It is not quite sure when they began to show signs of the kekkei genkai, but they have acquired what other villages have to come to know as the siren's call. It occurs only in the women of this clan, and after they have used the siren's call to attract three or four men, who instantly show signs of what appears to be love, it simply dissipates and they are no longer able to attract anyone else—no one is quite sure what happens to it."

Sakura raised her hand slightly, and when nodded at, asked, "Does it work on any man, Tsunade-sama? I mean to say, will it work on a man who's married?"

"Single, dating, engaged, or married, it will work on them," Tsunade told her. "The call is very powerful, it seems to leak from their pores, through their voice, and draws a man closer and closer with each touch or word that falls from their lips. It has been reported in Kaminari no Kuni, that is where the clan is settled, that some men will instantly fall to their knees once the woman has set sight on him, attracted to him since it will only work if the woman finds a man attractive. It has been reported that some men will instantly beg to go with them from the moment a simple word passes their lips.

"However, no one of the clan has ever traveled this far to find suitors. There are some rare cases when they will travel to Mizu no Kuni, but they usually remain within Kaminari no Kuni, or sometimes go to small towns just outside of their homeland. Never has one been seen this far, though there was a rumor that one of their clan tried to travel to Tsuchi no Kuni. It was rather shocking to find that one of them has stepped outside of their homeland and come this far, possibly farther, since we cannot be sure how many there are or how many suitors they already possess," Tsunade stopped.

"Can a person break away from this stupid call?" Naruto asked. He did not like the sound of that, it sounded almost like the women of this clan enslaved people, or men at least. He didn't care that they rarely had a boy born into their clan; they had taken his friends. "Besides, how are you so sure that a member of this clan took Sasuke and Neji, huh?"

Tsunade grabbed the crumpled piece of paper at the edge of her desk, placed just to the side of her toppling tower of paperwork. She glared at the pile for a moment, muttered to herself, and then turned the piece of paper so they could see it. "The jounin who reported Uchiha Sasuke missing," she stated, "was given this by a civilian who saw him with the young woman who probably found herself attracted to him, thus allowing the call to work on him. This symbol is the emblem of their clan, what all shinobi they train for Kumogakure wear when they arrive in the village—some are women who bring their suitors, others who have yet to come of age, and most are the men born into the clan."

"So," Sakura concluded, "they don't live in Kumogakure?"

"No, they are a _very_ large clan that lives outside of the village, and when they believe the shinobi they train are ready, they send them to Kumogakure, since it is the main village within Kaminari no Kuni," Tsunade said.

"You still haven't answered my first question, Tsunade-baa-chan," Naruto growled. They shouldn't be standing there while Kakashi-sensei read his perverted book, they should be searching for Sasuke already. Yet he knew that they would need as much information as they could possibly get on these women, especially if there was more than one. If what Tsunade said was true, he had _no_ doubt that it wasn't, these women were most likely shinobi as well, so they might try to keep Sasuke with them—Neji too—instead of releasing him if they ever found them.

"The call is strong, but there have been cases reported of when men with strong connections are confronted by their family, friends, lovers, or wives and manage to break free of the call. In those cases it is stated that the kekkei genkai _will_, without a doubt, reappear within the female the male broke away from and they will search for a new suitor. However, they must be very strong connections," Tsunade sighed. "I do not know, with how aloof those two seemed, if their connection to anyone in this village would bring them back."

"We have to try, Tsunade-sama," Sakura said. "We can't just let them take Sasuke," quickly, a small blush forming on her cheeks for forgetting about him, she added, "or Neji."

"Yeah," Naruto nodded. "I can bring back Sasuke, and… and I bet that Hinata would be able to bring back Neji!"

"Though your intentions are good, there's one problem," Tsunade said.

"What is it?" they asked together.

"We don't know where they are," Tsunade replied, placing her head into her hand.

* * *

"Forever and ever," a voice whispered into her ear. She smiled, leaning further into him as the other two flanked her sides, one rubbing soothing circles on her thigh while the other simply stared at her with his stunning eyes. 

"If you wish it," she said softly. "I will never leave you, no matter where you wish to stay. I am yours and you are mine, as long as you wish it." She did not want to tie them down if they did not wish to be tied to her. She knew that her call, the call that had sunk into their blood, their souls, would whisper softly to them that that _was_ what they wanted, but she knew that they, the person inside, may not want that. However, in the same instant, she knew that Kikyo would have told her to drive those thoughts from her mind, since the men belonged to them and they belonged to the men they'd chosen.

"Always," another stated, and she turned to look into the eyes that she'd first noticed when she'd set sight on him. "I will always wish that."

"I will always _want_ that," the one behind her said.

"I would wish for nothing else," the final one said, still rubbing gently at her thigh.

The sound of crunching leaves drew their attention to Kikyo, now standing at the edge of the clearing, her suitors standing behind her. She was tugging at the cloak of her blonde haired suitor, since he couldn't seem to look at anything but her, while the others followed closely to her. It was natural; they wished to insure that Kikyo did not look for attention, affection, or love anywhere else, so they stayed close to her no matter where she went. When she came close enough, she pointed to the ground, and stated, "Deidara, will you sit here for the time being?"

"Of course, un," the blonde replied. He sat instantly, his hand moving into the pouch at his side, no doubt allowing the mouths in his palms to nibble at the clay there. He looked about, small clay birds in his other hand, almost as if he was ready for anyone to jump out at any moment. It seemed that he was ready and able to protect the woman he'd been called to, and the others proved the same thing as they knelt near his side.

Kikyo nodded to her other two suitors did the same, before turning her attention to her sibling. "I went into the village you obtained two of your suitors today, Kagome."

Her suitors paid Kikyo no attention, simply returning to what they had been doing before. A soft pair of lips began to caress her neck, while she stared at her elder. "Did you?" she asked.

"Yes," Kikyo nodded. "It would seem that they have found out we are here. Since we have obtained the suitors we wish for, I found their efforts amusing, but it appears that they have placed a kunoichi with every male in the village, or at least a woman. It is because of this, and the few rumors that I heard, that I do not think it wise that you return to that village again. We should return home to Kaminari no Kuni."

"I see," Kagome frowned. She had wanted to allow her suitors the right to decide if they wished to stay with her—no matter how much she was sure it would piss Kikyo off. However, she was sure that the rumors Kikyo had heard were not promising, most probably involved hanging, from the tone of her voice. "If that is what you wish, Kikyo-nee-san. I will return to Kaminari no Kuni with you."

"Good," Kikyo stated, dipping her head a bit. "We will leave at first light tomorrow. Make sure that you're ready by then."

"Of course," Kagome replied.

Kikyo smiled in satisfaction, and then turned her attention back to her suitors. "Come, Deidara; Inuyasha; Kabuto." Her three suitors stood, each returning to her side, before she walked away. She was positive that her younger sibling would not try something reckless—though, she often did. They would return home, and find out whether or not the new genetics would increase the chances of boys born into the clan. Hopefully the results were good, since she had sensed that the suitors they had chosen were strong of will and of strength, no doubt having fought the call while they were falling into it.

Kagome watched her go, and then frowned slightly. She leaned further into the arms wrapped tightly around her waist, tilting her head slightly as her pale-eyed suitor worked her neck with his mouth. A small moan escaped her mouth when her suitor simply staring at her leaned over to join him, his tongue caressing her jaw and then moving to lightly nibble at her collarbone. Her third suitor, the youngest of the males, stared for a moment, before his grip tightened on her thigh and he leaned forward in order to begin drawing simple designs on her currently bare stomach using his own talented tongue.

After a moment he pulled away, and whispered softly into her ear, "You are upset."

Another small moan escaped her throat, as she tried to completely lose herself in his warmth. Her tiny hand found a home in the onyx colored hair of her final suitor, tugging him a bit closer as he moved lower and lower, only to move away from the edge of her shorts at the last moment. "Do not worry for me, Neji. We will return to Kaminari no Kuni in a little over a weeks travel and then my spirits will rise once more."

"I do not like you upset," Neji muttered, before beginning to suckle lightly on the skin just behind her ear. He stopped for only a moment, tightening his hold on her waist, as he stated, "I wish to see you always happy and at peace."

"With you," Kagome said softly, "—with you all, I will always be happy and at peace. As long as you are with me, I will never be sad again, that I promise you."

His slow torture stopped for a moment, as he turned his smothering eyes up to stare into her own. "Then I will never leave your side," he declared. He raised himself so that he was straddling her hips, and paid little attention to the other two males touching her flesh. His eyes flashed, "I never wish to see you sad; _never_."

"Sasuke," she whispered. She did not stop him when he leaned forward, softly capturing her lips in a loving caress. His mouth burned its way across her own, yet softly patted the flames down until she was floating in the calm and caring aura he radiated for her. Her hand raised to cup the side of his face, while she dug her nails into Neji's arm. She was happy to relive the fire he seemed to create, allowing her to walk among the flames as long as she held tightly to his hand. She _was_ happy, simply because he was there—because they were all there.

Sasuke quickly swallowed a soft groan as he devoured her, his tongue sweeping greedily into her warmth as he focused his attention onto her. Kagome was very willing to swim in the passion that he built, and allowed him to swallow another gasp when a pair of callused hands began to lightly trail over the inside of her thighs. Neji's mouth was relentless, continuing to scorch a path along her neck, his arms holding her possessively against his body, so she knew instantly who was teasing her in such a way. However, the knowledge did not matter to her much as she was swept away by them, ready to let her suitors have their sinful way with her if they so wished it.

* * *

"Have you found anything?" she demanded. This search had gotten Shizune from continuously bringing her paperwork to fill out, but Tsunade was beginning to find it even more tiring than endless hours signing her name. Or anything else she had to sign, check, or simply read in order to make sure that she wasn't starting a war. The woman who had taken Hyuuga Neji and Uchiha Sasuke was very good at escaping detection. In fact, if they did not find anything soon, she would call the search off and send word to the clan that she wished for the woman to return with her suitors, stating their names, in hopes that she would return with her shinobi. At least having her in the village, if she had all her suitors, would be better than losing two of her finest. 

Even if all males she gave birth to would become loyal to Kumogakure someday.

"Nothing yet, Hokage-sama," the chuunin sighed. "However, Uzumaki-san and Haruno-san are making sure that nothing is left untouched. We are searching as far and as fast as we can at the moment, and if the woman has not stepped outside of Hi no Kuni she will be found."

"Good," Tsunade frowned in disappointment. "Just remember to tell Naruto that should he find her, he is _not_ to attack her. He might not understand it, but Sasuke and Neji will go after him should he prove to be a threat to her. I want her brought to m—"

The chuunin pushed one hand to her ear, and then nodded once. "I understand." Afterward, she let her hand fall to her side, and glanced back up at the Hokage. "Forgive me, Hokage-sama, I was merely being informed that Uzumaki-san seems to have found something and the rest of the squad is in hot pursuit of him."

"Tell them to keep you posted, and report to me whatever it is that Naruto finds," Tsunade ordered.

The chuunin nodded and did so. "Will there be anything else, Hokage-sama?"

"Yes," Tsunade said. "Take a seat, it seems that you'll be staying here until something important is revealed."

"Ah," the chuunin blinked, "of course, Hokage-sama." She took the seat in front of the Hokage desk, keeping herself ready should she get another report from her fellow chuunin following Uzumaki Naruto.

"Now, Chiasa, would you like something to drink?"

Chiasa blinked, and shook her head. "No, Hokage-sama, I am fine."

"Too bad," Tsunade muttered, "I would. _Shizune_!"

* * *

Naruto leapt from his perch, and landed on the grass in a large field. His eyes shifted upward, catching sight of them as he shouted, "Sasuke!" He pumped chakra into his feet, his legs beginning to work as he raced forward, intent on stopping them before they managed to get away. 

"Neji-nii-san," came a much softer voice behind him.

However, Naruto did not stop as he reached the bottom of the hill they stood on, both males flanking the woman's sides. She had turned toward them, and Naruto's eyes widened when he saw her standing there in the morning sunlight—it was quite obvious why Sasuke and Neji had allowed themselves to fall into her _call_, as Tsunade had said. Her very skin seemed to glow, and though it was most likely from the sun, it gave her an eternal look as she frowned a bit at him. Her hair cascaded down her back in waves, its black color shining with hues of orange and red. He could not tell her eye color, but even from the distance he could tell that they were dark and most likely beautiful.

"Sasuke!" he yelled again. "What the hell are you doing, Sasuke-teme? You can't leave just because some woman's used her kekkei genkai on you!"

Sasuke seemed to snort, but did not reply to him. The woman at his side placed her hand onto his arm, a deep frown on her lips as she stepped closer to him. Then, Sasuke finally looked down at her, and replied, "I know what I'm doing, dobe. I know what I feel, and I know what I want. You're not going to stop me."

Hinata came to a stop at his side. "Neji-nii-san, a-are you going t-to just leave e-everything that you've ever c-cared about behind?" her voice was not very loud or demanding, but she could tell that her cousin had heard her words. Her activated Byakugan allowed her to clearly see him glaring heatedly at Naruto, before his hard gaze turned to her. She had _never_ seen him glare at her in such a way, not even when they had fought each other years ago during the chuunin preliminaries. It was not just his gaze, however, it was his stance, too. The very way he stood told her everything, and she knew at that moment that he would defend the woman between him and Sasuke should they attack her.

Another woman appeared not far away from them, and Hinata turned to look at her. She wore a red and black outfit that would easily allow her to move in battle, while her hair was pulled back out of her face using a single white strip of cloth. Her looks, though, were strikingly similar to the original woman. However, it was the three men who took to her sides that caused her eyes to widen as she began to speak.

"Kagome, we are wasting daylight." The woman turned toward them. "Are will return home, not engage in a pointless battle with these shinobi. Tell your suitors to move out, instead of conversing with them."

The first woman nodded, gripping Sasuke's arm as her other hand grabbed ahold of Neji's. "Yes, Kikyo-nee-san." She looked up into Sasuke's face and then pulled at his sleeve. "Come, Sasuke. We must begin to travel back to Kaminari no Kuni if we hope to be there as quickly as possible."

Sasuke glanced over them once, and then turned to leave with the woman at his side. Neji did not need any prompting as he tugged at her hand, causing her to release Sasuke's arm and fall into his side. The Uchiha then moved closer to her, his hand reaching out to settle on the small of her back to help lead her away. The three of them began to walk away, the unidentified woman speaking for a moment with the man named Inuyasha at her side, before she and her suitors turned to go as well.

"N-Naruto," Hinata whispered.

Naruto, who had been ready to spring into action, turned to ask, "What is it, Hinata?"

"The o-other w-woman h-h-has," Hinata blushed, "K-Kabuto an-and t-the Akatsuki member D-Deidara a-as h-her s-s-suitors."

"Kabuto and Deidara?" Naruto muttered. "Don't go after that woman, got it. I'll remember that, thanks, Hinata."

"Y-you're w-welcome, Naruto," Hinata replied.

Sakura burst into the clearing the moment that Naruto began to rush forward once more. Her eyes widened, "Naruto, no!" Her old teammate did not stop, however, and she allowed herself to curse repeatedly at him inside of her head.

"I-is some-something wrong, Sakura?" Hinata asked.

"I was just told by Kazuhiko that Tsunade-sama said not to engage the woman who took Sasuke and Neji. We are to try and get them back and if we can't break them from the call, we're supposed to ask her to speak with Tsunade-sama," Sakura's heart clenched at the thought of being unable to break Sasuke from his siren call induced love. "Tsunade-sama said that if that is the case she will try to convince the woman to stay in the village, instead of losing both Sasuke and Neji to their clan and possibly Kumogakure."

"O-oh dear," Hinata gasped. She looked back up toward the top of the hill, her Byakugan activating again as she watched Naruto reach the top and shout. However, her eyes widened when he placed his hands together, created shadow clones, and rushed forward in an attack formation with them.

"Naruto," Sakura yelled. "_Stop!_"

Naruto did not stop, however, as he neared them. His clones went in two separate directions, planning to cut off their escape routes. However, he did not plan for a taller man to suddenly appear and disappear, cutting down his clones as if they weren't even there. He stopped ten feet away from the trios retreating forms, but the destruction of his clones alerted their presence of him, and they turned. He glanced up, and managed to stand his ground when he realized that both Sasuke and Neji were glaring at him with their doujutsus.

He did take a step back, though, when her final suitor appeared in front of them. "Itachi," he gulped. The Uchiha who had massacred his own clan and tried to kidnap him with his Akatsuki partner long ago stood in front of the woman who'd taken his friend. Not only that, but Sasuke had not even turned to glare at his brother in some fashion—he did not even acknowledge him, declaring that he was going to kill him to avenge his family.

"Naruto," Sasuke hissed. "Go home, Naruto."

Turning his eyes to the younger Uchiha, Naruto shook his head in disbelief for a moment. "S-Sasuke that's…" he stopped. "Why are you…? You hate Itachi, how could you… stand by his side like this? O-or are you even Sasuke at all?"

Sasuke's red eyes turned to the elder Uchiha, and hardened just a bit, before he glanced at the woman standing at his side. "Forever and ever," he said. "If I must, for Kagome, I will tolerate my brother and the Hyuuga, as long as I am able to stand by her side." His eyes narrowed a bit more, as he turned back to Naruto, "As long as I may call her my own, I do not care about the minor issues."

"_Minor_ issues?" Naruto blinked. Then, his fist clenched at his side, and he yelled, "Who the hell are you? You're not Sasuke! You're not my friend!"

"Go home," Neji pressed. "Take Hinata-sama and return to Konohagakure where you belong, Naruto. You are not needed here."

Naruto took another step backward. "It—no, it's that kekkei genkai that's making you say this stuff, isn't it? Her _call_ is making you say these things. You have to fight it! You can't just leave Konohagakure like this!"

"We're not being controlled, Naruto," Neji frowned, his glare becoming a bit harder. "We know perfectly well about Kagome's kekkei genkai, and though the call drew us together it is not what is keeping us together. What we feel—what we are destined to feel at this moment, is what is doing that."

Naruto turned his head when Sakura and Hinata slid to a stop at his sides. He could tell that the others within their squad were behind them, but he watched as the two girls stiffened at the sight of Itachi, before the male stepped to the side in order to allow them to see the woman named Kagome. Then, he watched as Sakura took a step forward, her eyes trained on Sasuke—his heart clenched a bit, since his mind instantly went to how close they had been getting before Sasuke returned.

"Neji-nii-san," Hinata said, having heard his words, "p-please reconsider."

Sakura took another step forward, nearly yelling, "Sasuke, please!" She knew that her voice was desperate, but she did not care, she wanted him to return to the village _un_attached. She knew what she felt, and though she had often thought that perhaps it had gone further than what she had originally believed—to a more obsessive level—she did not care at this moment. That woman standing at Sasuke's side had taken him from her, and she wanted him back.

"Hinata-sama," Neji sighed. "I know what I feel, and not even you will stop me from going wherever it is that I am destined to be. Not even you will remove me from her side."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, but they flickered a bit. He felt Kagome's hand grip his arm once more, and turned to look down at her. He knew what he felt, but a piece of his heart screamed that he should stay with his friends. Yes, he felt something he had not felt since his brother killed their clan, but his friends had stood by his side through even the dark times. But, in the same instance, he felt that she would, too, if there were any while she radiated such a beautiful light.

"Sasuke," Kagome muttered, her eyes turning sad. She could feel him pulling away from her mentally, and though she told herself that she should allow him to go, she _did not_ want to. A part of her simply could not part with him, because she felt like losing him would be like tearing her heart out. "Sasuke, don't go."

Sasuke looked down at her, feeling himself being pulled in two directions.

Kagome's other hand raised and grabbed the front of her shirt where her heart lay. "Sasuke, you're… you're hurting me," she whispered. Tears gathered in her eyes, as she stared up at him. "I… I… I don't want you t-to go, but I feel… I feel as if I'm being selfish by keeping you."

"Sasuke," Sakura said again, "you have to return to the village! You can't do this!"

Kagome's eyes flickered, and she glanced at the elder Uchiha. "Itachi," she whispered.

Itachi's eyes narrowed, feeling her pain, as he allowed himself to lock eyes with the pink-haired girl. However, as his eyes began to shift the jinchuuriki of Kyuubi shoved her to the ground, while the Hyuuga quickly averted her eyes. The others were not so lucky, as he muttered, "Tsukiyomi." Within seconds screams filled his ears, his torture effective enough to knock them out as soon as he released them.

Sasuke looked at his brother, his eyes narrowing just a bit, but understanding why he had done it. Then, he glanced back down at Kagome as she shifted away from him and sank into Neji's side, the Hyuuga wrapping his arms around her in protection. "I don't want to hurt you," he stated. "I never want to hurt you, Kagome."

Neji snorted, "Then why are you doing so, Uchiha?"

"Shut up, Hyuuga," Sasuke hissed. He felt himself push further away from her, and saw the pain flicker across her face as her knuckles tightened to the point that they turned white. He stepped closer to her, concern tugging at his heart as he stared into her eyes, but felt the need to glance back at his friends. He did not know why, but seeing them both wanting him to stay made him remember when he had returned from Otogakure and what he had felt being back with them.

The happiness was nearly the same, but it did not have the love that she was offering.

Neji glared at the Uchiha hurting the woman leaning into him, Sasuke pulling away from her making her pain greater. He lifted a hand and cupped her chin, before capturing her lips in hopes that it would help her through it. However, it seemed that the Uchiha was intent on continuing her pain, and she whimpered into his lips, causing him to pull away softly. He did not want to add to her pain, not when he could feel it nearly as well as she could.

Naruto and Sakura rose to their feet. Naruto glanced up, realizing that Sasuke seemed to be pulling away from the siren call. He nearly smiled, until he noticed how much pain the woman he was pulling away from seemed to be in. He did not want to feel pity for her, she had taken his friend in the first place, but she looked as if someone was torturing her, ripping her heart out of her chest as slowly as they could in order to kill her. He did not want anyone to go through that pain, no matter what they had done. "What's happening to her? Tsunade-baa-chan never said this would happen."

The other woman appeared back in the trees, stating clearly, "It is what happens to all women of our clan who have suitors which pull away from them." She glared at them, "It is not well known, for it can kill a woman if her connection—if her heart—has become greater than simply the call."

Naruto's mouth fell open. "W-what does that mean?"

"She loves him," the woman stated clearly. "It is not forbidden, but she was foolish to have allowed herself to slip into that emotion."

Sakura's eyes widened, "Sasuke's k-killing her?"

"Yes," she replied. "He is killing my sister."

Anger gripped her when she heard the voice of the woman who had began to pull the younger Uchiha away from her. The part of her that did not wish to lose him snarled and hissed, until she was glaring, and felt herself stumble away from Neji. The Hyuuga allowed her to go, knowing what she was doing, before she allowed the anger to grip her completely. She would _not_ allow another to take Sasuke away from her, not when she had promised him forever, and he had told her he wanted nothing else.

Almost instantly she appeared before her, and Sakura gasped at the small woman's speed. However, another escaped her throat, along with a small whimper as strong, sure fingers gripped her chin. She heard Naruto shout her name, but saw nothing but the deep, angry blue eyes of the woman lifting her from the ground. She heard nothing but the soft exhale that the woman gave, and felt nothing but the silver mist entering her lungs.

Naruto shouted, "Sakura!" when his female teammate began to convulse in the woman's hand. Then, Kagome dropped her, allowing Sakura's twitching form to sink heavily her side as she coughed and whimpered. He turned angry eyes to the woman who had taken his friends and hurt Sakura, before shouting, "What did you do to her?"

"I will not lose him," she whimpered. "I _can't_. I love him so much."

Naruto's eyes hardened a bit more, as he continued, "You've only been around him for a few days! You can't love him as much as you claim, it's not possible!"

"Then you have never been in love," Kagome said, turning her tear-streaked face to the other shinobi. "My connection with Sasuke is unlike anything you have ever felt, for I do love him. I love him as much as I love Neji, and as much as I love Itachi. And that I cannot change." Her heart clenched again, as she felt Sasuke pull a little more away from her at seeing the pain of his friend.

Naruto did not think, about allowed his hands to do as they willed on their own. Then, he raised his hand, the swirling attack taking form as he moved subconsciously. "Rasengan!" he shouted, rushing at the woman who had done so much that indirectly hurt him. She did not move, which made it easy for a direct attack.

"_Chidori!_"

Naruto gasp as the attack hit him directly in his side, his chakra flattering as he was thrown through the air. He hit the ground hard, rolling over and over, as he tried to grasp his side in order to protect the brunt flesh. He knew that the attack had not been fully charged, otherwise he would be dead—in fact, he knew from the burn that there had been barely any force put behind the attack. It had been a warning, nothing more. He was glad, however, when he finally stopped, his back hitting a tree.

As he went to stand, his knees wobbled underneath him, and he saw that Sasuke was standing at Kagome's side, gazing down at her, and searching for wounds. She was staring up at him happily, a bright smile on her lips, while she reached up to touch his face. Naruto coughed, and watched as Sasuke kissed her forcefully, pulling the woman into his arms as he did so. "Damn it," Naruto cursed, touching the wound on his side, as he watched his friend tenderly rub the woman's back and cup the back of her neck.

After a moment, Sasuke pulled away from her. Naruto, even from the new distance between them, as he felt Hinata—he wasn't sure where she had come from—touch his wound, heard Sasuke's words. He had said, "Forever and ever, Kagome. As you are mine, I am yours."

Hinata frowned, "N-Naruto, you s-shouldn't s-stand up."

"Sasuke," Naruto tried to shout.

Itachi appeared at Kagome's side, and pulled her away from his younger brother. She fell instantly into his arms, gripping the cloak he still wore in a grip so tight that he knew she was still slightly hurting from Sasuke nearly breaking her call. However, she smiled up at him, and buried her head into his neck as he watched his brother turn toward his friend. It was obvious what his brother had chosen, and he would allow it if Kagome so wished it so—just as he would allow the Hyuuga that had appeared on her other side to stay if she wished it. She did, so he would not try to tear her light away from their sight.

"Naruto," Sasuke said. "You are my friend, Naruto. As my friend you should support what I wish for, not try to tear it away from me. However, here you stand."

"Sasuke, you can't," Naruto coughed again, "just leave the village. You can't abandon us."

"I'm not abandoning you," Sasuke stated, "I'm simply following my heart."

Naruto closed his eyes.

"Tell the Hokage that for now we will return to Kaminari no Kuni," Sasuke continued, "and if Kagome so wishes it, we may return one day."

"Sasuke."

He turned, gazing at the woman who had captured him so thoroughly.

"Sasuke, I would like to speak with your Hokage," Kagome said. "We will stay if we are able."

The other woman, silent until now, lifted an eyebrow. "You are going to stay in Konohagakure, Kagome?" she asked.

"I am, Kikyo-nee-san," Kagome said. She turned her eyes toward her; "I will send word to the clan if there is any change in our clan's problem, but you will tell them what I will."

Kikyo's eyes narrowed, "The elders will not approve."

"It is time for a change, Kikyo," Kagome frowned. "I cannot separate myself from my suitors, and I cannot separate them from their friends and family. I will stay, as some of our clan have decided to do in other villages within Mizu no Kuni and those within Kaminari no Kuni. However, even if they hunt me, I will not send my sons to become shinobi for a village that was once at war with my new home. Please, understand my wishes."

Kikyo glared, "I will inform them, but I do not like it." Kikyo turned to her suitors within the trees and tilted her head in a clear sign that they were departing. Then, she disappeared into the foliage, anger radiating from her body as she thought about what her blood sibling was doing. The fact that she had thrown away the rules of their family for love was ridiculous.

Naruto's eyes widened, as he saw Sakura shift and rise to her side. "You're staying?" he asked.

"If your Hokage will allow it," Kagome said.

Naruto's heart instantly opened to the person who would most likely become a new friend to him, happy to know she was not separating him from his friends. He smiled a bit, holding his side even after Hinata healed him, as he said, "I'm sure Tsunade-baa-chan will allow it. After all, your call's gone, right?"

Kagome laughed, "Yes, I have my three suitors. The call has dissipated. It holds strongly to those that I love, and will keep them by my side forever."

Itachi, Neji, and Sasuke each softly stated, "Yes, forever."

_--Fin_

* * *

I don't see these used often within fanfiction, at least with the meanings to them, so I decided that this once I would put in some of the Japanese that might not be so well known.

_Hi no Kuni - _The Land of Fire

_Kaminari no Kuni -_ The Land of Lightning

_Tsuchi no Kuni -_ The Land of Earth

_Mizu no Kuni -_ The Land of Water

_Kumogakure (no Sato) -_ The Village Hidden in the Clouds

_Doujutsu -_ Eye technique

_Jinchuuriki –_ Human sacrifice

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ I told you I did not know which one would be done first. Unfortunately this one seemed to continuously snag my attention whenever I was trying to do the other ones, so I decided to just finish it so that I could get on to the others. So, I hope you enjoyed it, and _I_ hope to get something else done soon. Kiba

_Next Time_ (_should be either_): Kyo/Kagome, Miroku/Kagome, Kyuubi/Kagome, Byakuya/Kagome, Edward/Kagome, or Gaara/Kagome.


	46. Forgive Me: Kyuubi

_**Title:** Forgive Me_

_**Summary:** He hadn't been able to protect her, as he had promised. Now he's going to kill the shinobi that took her life in hopes that she will forgive him from wherever her soul went._

**Pairing:** Kyuubi/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

Her soft hands had gently run through his fur not too long ago. Her sweet voice had echoed into his pointed ears as he took in her presence. Her warmth had radiated from her body and into his. The feeling of protection she enveloped him in had not long ago protected his small, healing form from the fear that had raced through him before he had found her. 

Now, however, her hands no longer ran through his fur, nor did her sweet voice tell him things that he so wished to believe. He was not able to look up at her and find comfort in the warmth of her eyes, as well as her body. Her protection was gone, leaving him alone and cold, feeling the fear prickle along his spine once more. He hated it, for he did not wish these things gone, but knew that they were not to be anymore when his small nose nudged against her chilling arm.

A small whimper echoed from his throat, his mind unbelieving. She could not be gone. The inu-hanyou who had protested her healing him, stating that he was dangerous, would hurt him more. The taijiya would wish to kill him for not being able to stop what had happened. The houshi would give him the stare that pierced his very soul, never muttering a word just to make the punishment worse. But, the most terrible of them all would be the kit—the young kit that had often told the woman who had cared for him his words, since he had been unable to communicate directly with her in such a primitive form.

His eyes shifted, catching sight of the glimmering weapon. Another small whimper echoed from his throat, unknowing echoing into the distance, as he nudged her again. She simply could not be gone, that weapon could _not_ have ended her life, because he had promised many times—over and over again—that he would protect her. He _had_ to be dreaming, because the sweet girl who had been nursing him back to his massive strength simply could not be gone.

His ear pricked upward, a growl leaving his chest, as he heard something shift in the trees. His eyes moved upward, his superior sight locking onto the two men hidden deep within the foliage. He huddled closer to the girl, his coat pressing against the girl's thin arm, though he had no doubt that he would be seen. He did not know what those men wished for, though he had never truly trusted humans, but he would not allow them to have the girl.

He would not let them, because she simply could _not_ be dead. Her last breath could not have escaped her lips, nor could her soul have left her body. She was alive, somehow, and in someway, he was positive. Her guardianship simply would not allow her to die, not by such a simply thing as a weapon to the heart, and her enormous amount of life energy could not have let her go. Her soul was too large; her energy too grand; her body too soft; her heart too loving; and there were a million more reasons, but the girl could _not_ have died.

"That was rather easy, don't you think? She was supposed to be very well trained."

His ears twitched, the words understandable, but he did not know what they were speaking of.

"It seems like it." The second frowned, "However, that isn't important at the moment. Our mission is complete, the miko _is_ dead."

"What about that fox?" the first asked. "Doesn't it seem strange that it has so many tails?"

"Who cares, the mission is over. We will return to the village and inform the Hokage of our success."

The two disappeared into the trees, and his eyes sharpened a bit. A _mission_? Their duty had been to kill such a loving girl—though, in truth he did not really believe she was dead. Not now, not yet. How could anyone ask, or assign such a mission, when it was clear they knew nothing of the girl? How could anyone take her from the ones who loved her—from him? They knew absolutely nothing about her, yet someone had paid for it, someone had assigned it, and those fools had performed the act.

In all his long years, many filled with glorious travels; he had never seen such a thing. Humans, in his eyes, had been filth, something that walked the land with the soul purpose of becoming his prey. However, this girl had found him after he had used up a large amount of his energy and been reduced to his smallest, most primitive form. In that instant he had learned that there were small lights within the human race, a few humans who were worthy of his attention. Now, though, he saw what he needed to see.

Humans needed to _die_.

His eyes flickered to her stilled face, her eyelashes softly resting against her pale cheeks, and her lips slightly parted. His tongue darted out, taking another small taste of her arm and hand. A final taste, for his promise had been broken, and he would use the remaining amount of his energy in order to kill the worthless fools who had taken her from him. For now he saw, she was gone, her soul departed and her warmth dissipating. The scent of death was already beginning to fill his nostrils, the smell he had denied before finally reaching through to his senses as he felt his blood begin to pump.

His lips pulled back over his fangs as he raced into the forest, his mind bringing forth her smiling face once more. His sweet little miko. She had died looking peaceful, but he doubted that she was so. Her soul was most likely twisting and turning, blaming him for his broken promise—her soul had already been harmed so many times, and he had only added to it, so why would she not blame him?

A snarl broke through his throat, his nose taking in the scents in order to find the correct path he needed. He would find this village, and this Hokage, and he would _kill_ them all. He would give them no mercy, for they had not even taken a moment in order to find out even a piece of true information on his sweet little miko. He would rip the village apart, tear down the walls and buildings that kept them so safe, and spill their blood upon the ground until it _bleed_ red.

The sound of distant noises began to fill his ears, and he knew at that moment that he was nearing the place he wanted. The scent, undeniable and unyielding from where it clung to the foliage around him, told him more than he needed to know, confirming time and again that he was headed in the right direction. Another snarl ripped through his form, his blood pumping quicker with each passing moment, as he thought of how they sounded from the distance. Happy, _alive_, but certainly not for long.

Red chakra swarmed around him, his life energy building and toppling over itself in order to return him to his mightiest of forms. He knew the risk of such an action should he use the rest of his remaining energy, but he did not care anymore. His mind was set on a single goal, his entire body quivering and twitching at random moments, as his memories flashed through his head. He did not care, for death beside her would be more promising than a world that did not have her at all; but first, first he would kill those who took her, and then he join her.

His rank be damned. His position be damned. He did not care for those things, but one single thing, and it was _her_. His sweet little miko—his _Kagome,_ Guardian of the Shikon no Tama. Nothing mattered, not even the fact that he would give up his position to that damnable Orochi, only that he managed to kill the fools who took her life and gain her forgiveness.

His bones popped, cracked, and extended. His blood began to pump faster, more being produced at a rapid pace to fuel his rage and his massive height. His skin stretched, relaxed, stretched, relaxed, again and again, slowly, as his muscles quivered and grew beneath it, in order to stretch over his new appearance. Slowly, his fangs split through his gums as they grew, his claws tore through his paws, as the red chakra swirled faster and harder, the massive amount of power he controlled helping to quicken the process. Even if most of his energy depleted, the process continued, his body heightening, growing, slowly beginning to reach such heights that nothing would be able to stand in his path.

For a moment he wondered what his miko would think of his most fearsome form. Most certainly, even if he were seething in rage as he was now, she would simply touch his paw as she had often done and slowly allow her fingers to move through the brightly colored fur. She would not be frightened, for she would have known that he would not harm her—he could _never_ have been the one to snuff out her bright light, _never_. However, she had never had the privilege of seeing him at his best, which gave him another reason to destroy, to kill, the humans that brought his wrath upon themselves.

Slowly, yet what seemed like an instant, his form lengthened, stretched, and quivering with each pass of his terrible power. The chakra surrounding him swirled in upon itself, toppling over and over upon itself as he grew larger and more terrifying. Then, in a single instant, everything about him seemed to stop, before he burst through the large amount of energy he had released to return to his true form. The chakra trailed behind him, soaking back into his fur, flesh, and strengthening his muscles with leap of his long legs.

The ground shook with his power, his nine tails slicing through the land and foliage that surrounded him. He imagined his miko mourning the loss of such life, but shook the thought away as he caught clear sight of the wall surrounding his destination. A loud roar escaped his mouth, echoing into the distance, shaking the ground, and no doubt signaling to his soon-to-be victims that he was nearing them. He _was_ coming, there was no stopping him, and he would destroy them, all of them, and hope again and again that his deed would end in receiving his miko's forgiveness.

He would hope, he would pray silently to himself, but he would _not_ show mercy to the fools who had dared take something precious from Kyuubi no Youko.

When he reached the village, he crushed buildings, humans, and gave another massive roar. He knew instantly what type of village this was, but he cared not at the moment, as he tore through the ground with his claws, shook the land with his voice, and destroyed everything he could with his tails. He found slight amusement in the fact that the shinobi of the village screamed orders almost instantly, and tried to make him back down with their pitiful displays of chakra or steel metals. However, as he swung his head, his anger growing as another smiling image of his miko appeared in his mind, he lost track of time.

Blood split through the air, remains of his victims falling to the shaking ground as he tore through more and more and _more_ of the pitiful humans that deserved the death he was giving them. He barely acknowledged the fire, water, and wind being sent at him, dissolving as if it were _nothing_ against his fur when it came in contact with his demonic strength. His eyes clouded over in memory, as he laughed and continued to wreak havoc on the filth that took something from him and _now_ thought they were powerful enough to defeat him. Yes, they truly were _filth_ and he took a step forward, laughing, and allowing his victims screams to fill his ears.

A loud bang filled the air, and Kyuubi snarled. His rage took full control of his body, as he heard the shinobi shouting that their _Hokage_ had arrived and to pull back to wait for orders. This man, the one riding on the toad standing before him, was the reason that his miko was taken from him. That _man_ was the one who gave the order to take his miko's life, and for that he would rip him limb from limb and delight in the blood that filled his mouth as he did so.

However, as he prepared to attack, something curios happened and in his blind fury he was not able to defend himself until after he found bars slamming in his face, his power swarming into his body and darkness clouding around him. For a moment he thought he was dead, and scoffed at the idea of a pitiful human managing to destroy him, especially not when he was determined and able to seek forgiveness from his miko's soul. Something caught his eye, though, and he stepped forward, halted by the bars, as he gazed at the glowing strip of paper that sealed the bars. It was a seal, a demon seal—he was no fool, he had seen others sealed, and his miko had been learning how to use such a seal from her monk friend before she met her fate.

A loud snarl echoed into the darkness, Kyuubi's form shaking in a new found rage. He had not been able to kill that damned Hokage, nor the ones who had taken his miko from him. He had not avenged her, but merely killed in a blind rage, and though he took many lives he knew that none of them mattered but the ones he had wanted to steal from life's loose grip. However, as he gazed at the seal that held him within his _cage_, he knew that his time was not done, for even sealed his power would return, and once he was fully at strength once more he would break from this place.

For if it was one thing he knew, it was that seals weakened. He would be able to bide his time, and then break free once his strength returned and the seal weakened to a point where he could remove it without causing harm to himself. Then, and only then, would he search out the scents that he now knew so well. He would find them, destroy them, and make sure to make his point when he destroyed their children as well.

No one would stop him from completing his task. He would gain his miko's forgiveness with their lives, and then he would join her in death or search for her soul. He would gain her forgiveness, even if he was not sure if he would ever be able to truly forgive himself for allowing her to be taken in the first place.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ Hm, it actually turned out a little better than I hoped it would. However, I know that people have already done this, and many other ideas concerning Kyuubi and Kagome, and I wanted to try something that did not involve a humanoid Kyuubi before I did that. However, I do have another _version_ similar to this one between Kyuubi and Kagome, with Kyuubi in humanoid form, and I hope to have that one completed sometime in the future. 

And I would like to say that I might not update (mostly everything) for long lengths of time. School has been in session for a week now, and I need to keep up with my homework, something I did not do last year, though I did manage to pass everything. However, that does not mean that I will stop writing completely (I don't ever think I could, since I constantly tell myself I will and then find myself typing like a maniac). So, be patient with me, and know that I will try to work as much as I can when I can, which will mostly be weekends.

Oh, and my friend gave me the first manga of Vampire Knight today! I absolutely love the storyline so far, especially Kaname, and Zero. And I understand why the Day Class girls are so obsessed with the Night Class boys, since they are beautiful (so, so beautiful). I hope to start putting those types of pairings into here, too, but not until I've read through the second volume (whenever I get it, _grumble_) and my first one of those would probably be Zero/Kagome.

_Kiba_

_Next pairing_ (_should be either_): Kyo/Kagome, Miroku/Kagome, Gaara/Kagome, Edward/Kagome, Byakuya/Kagome, or Manjyome/Kagome (Chazz/Kagome; yes, I finally found their Japanese names).


	47. Incapability: Gaara

_**Title:**__ Incapability_

_**Summary:**__ Her worst enemy says something that strikes her deeply and for the briefest of moments she wonders if she should believe him._

**Pairing:** Gaara/Kagome, somewhat one-sided Naraku/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

"You're wrong," she growled, allowing her energy to flow through her body. 

The hanyou before her smirked, before replying differently than she'd expected, "You've learned the abilities of this village quite quickly, that you have, little miko."

"Shut up," the miko hissed, her hands coming together. As quickly as she could, as she carefully kept watch of the tentacles swarming around her, she made the seals needed. Then, bringing her hand up to her mouth, she directed the blast of wind toward her enemy, watching as he moved to one side, barely escaping the roaring current. However, its impact with the sand sent the golden particles flying into the air, blinding her for a moment, as she listened for any sign that her enemy would attack.

"Yes, you have gained much from this strange new world, haven't you?" he chuckled. "But nothing that wasn't expected of you, since you're quite determined to defeat me. Especially now that you believe you must, separated from your friends as you are. Have you ever thought of taking up my offer?"

"I will never _join_ you, Naraku!" she hissed back, taking another step back. She knew that he was driving her farther and farther away from the village, but what he did not realize was it took days to travel out of Suna. He'd have to keep this up for longer than she believed he could, and by then help would have arrived, she was sure of it.

His eyes caught sight of the sun gleaming off the pretty new band she wore around her neck. A smirk lifted onto Naraku's lips, before he thrust a few tentacles toward the miko, watching as she managed to dodge; yet her feet slightly stumbled underneath her. She was beginning to tire, and none of the new training she'd gotten, nor the things she'd learned to do with her massive amount of energy would be able to help her then. "What a pretty trinket they gave you?" he mocked. "Did that little redhead you find so fascinating give it to you?"

Something dripped from Naraku's voice, but she couldn't tell what it was as she hissed through her teeth, pulling out another kunai, cloned it, and sent them all flying at her opponent. However, the green tentacles surrounding him rose as a shield, protecting him from the projectiles. "You know full well what it means," she said through gritted teeth.

"Oh yes, you protect Sunagakure." He sneered, "Pathetic really, for them to allow you to become a shinobi of their village. That boy must have lost his mind when he stepped into your presence, but that's not surprising. Tell me, did you manage to somehow make another subjugation necklace and placed it upon him just so he would agree to allowing you to be taught?"

"I would never do that," she snapped. "It would be treason against my Kazekage."

"_Your_ Kazekage, miko? I do not think he is _yours_," Naraku snickered. "After all, though you may see him as thus he will never be able to love you." His smirk widened a bit, knowing just where to strike her. "After all, who could ever love a pitiful miko such as you, Kagome-_chan_? Certainly not him, and certainly not… _Inuyasha_."

"Shut up!" Kagome yelled. "He died to save me!"

"You are quite attractive once you have been riled up," Naraku leered. "However, Inuyasha's move was foolish when we came to this world. He should have never protected you Kagome-chan, for then he would be the one learning the techniques your _precious_ Kazekage has been so generous enough to let you learn. He would be, but that still does not prove the fact that each time he looked at you he did not see Kikyo standing in your place. I bet this—"

Kagome watched as the stream of fire engulfed the spot her enemy had previously stood. However, she cursed under her breath when she realized that he was standing twenty or so feet away from where her fire had hit.

Naraku chuckled at the attempt. "How long, little miko? Tell me, how long will you be able to continue this until finally you are out of what they call _chakra_ in this world?"

"I won't give up," Kagome snarled. "Not until you are either dead or help has arrived."

"Soon, I take it?" Naraku chuckled again. "Where do you get this urge to fight me, Kagome-chan? You could be standing at my side, happy with my minions to call your _friends_, and crushing our opponents with a swing of our hand. You could be living a life of luxury and greatness, yet you continue this little game, even when you know you're going to lose. Your precious redhead is not going to come and save you, Kagome-chan, you may as well give up."

She slipped a kunai from the pouch on her thigh, and sliced through the numerous tentacles that Naraku sent flying at her. She quickly held her breath, miasma filling the air around her, as she stopped her attack. She heard the slicing of air, and quickly moved to the left, the right, the left again, before deciding that she had had enough of playing his game and hurled herself out of the thick cloud of poison. Her deprived lungs were grateful once she inhaled the clean air, but her arm was throbbing at the hit it had taken.

"Why do you continue to fight, Kagome-chan?" Naraku asked. "I have seen the way you cling to this new male in your life, almost as if you're trying to find a replacement for the man who never loved you—"

"I'm not replacing anyone!" she yelled.

He laughed outright, his beautiful features darkening as he stared at her. "You do not see how quickly you are falling, do you little miko?" his question came out as a deadly hiss, his voice deepening in disgust. "You are using your precious Kazekage, yet you do not seem to realize something very, _very_ important."

Kagome growled, and allowed her hands to move instinctively as she made the seals she needed. Then, she thrust her hand out, and the sand around her rumbled as it lifted and toppled in upon itself, growing, and shaping itself into a large dog. The creature snarled, or seemed to, before it lunged at its intended target, the hardened fangs tearing at the tentacles that went flying toward it, causing even more of the deadly poison that Naraku created to fill the air.

Naraku smirked at her attempt, "Are you trying to prove you're weak, or simply delay the truth I am about to tell you?"

"Nothing you say will ever be true," Kagome said. "All you've ever done is spat out false truths, lethal pacts, and deadly promises. You're a coward who runs, Naraku, but I won't let you run anymore. I'll kill you, and rid the world of your evil once and for all."

"Such brave words for a woman who knows she is lost," Naraku said. "In a way, you almost put Kikyo to shame."

Kagome moved back some more, the miasma spreading toward her as the sand-dog collapsed back into its original form. Her foot slipped a bit in the soft particles, her breathing coming out a little quicker, as she realized just how much chakra she had been using up so far. However, she had not been able to grasp genjutsu very well, and she would need to get around Naraku's defense of tentacles in order to defeat him with taijutsu. That left her with weapons and ninjutsu, both of which did not seem to be working at the moment, since he either blocked them, or spilled so much miasma into the air that she was forced to retreat even further away from the village.

"However, even that does not change the facts, Kagome-chan," Naraku smiled. His face, as beautiful as it was, simply did not look pleasant with such a tilt of his lips, as he stepped forward.

"Oh, and what is it you think you know so well, Naraku?" Kagome yelled above the suddenly increasing wind.

"No one will ever love you," Naraku stated. "You cling to this redhead you have found, yet you do not even realize how much heartache you are putting yourself up for. You do not even realize that he will _never_ see you in the same light, just as Inuyasha never saw you in such a way. He is incapable of love; of caring, of even looking at you as you so wish him to."

Kagome paused, the words sinking into her brain. The constant name calling, the harsh words that flew, and the constant reminder of being weak from Inuyasha came rushing back. He had had his moments, but in the end he had always compared her to Kikyo. In the end, he had even asked her to tell Kikyo that he still loved her, that he wished that they could have had another chance. In the end, he had chosen—he had been _incapable_ of loving her as she had wanted him to.

"I can give you what it is you want, Kagome-chan," Naraku continued. "I will not see you as some form of entertainment. Consider my offer, Kagome-chan. Stand by my side, and rule along with me. Be cared for, for more reasons than simply being a reincarnation or because you are different in such a small way. Come with me, stand by _my_ side."

The sand shifted again without notice.

"Tell me, Kagome-chan," Naraku pressed, "do you honestly think he will ever even care for you? He merely wishes to have more power for his village, not some woman to stand by his side. He merely wishes to have you as his shinobi, to fight for him should his life be in danger, not care for you because you are a beautiful woman that has caught his eye. No, he will thrust you into the background, as his minion, waiting for one more worthy to come along.

"I, Kagome-chan," he smirked again, his eyes flashing, "I will not do such a thing. You will never be my minion, but the woman that stands by my side because you should. You _should_ come with me, stand by my side. You _should_ not allow your beauty to go to waste on a disturbed little boy simply because he took you in and taught you. You _should_ see as I do."

Her eyes stared into his, her body not physically moving, but her mind falling as she found herself in that position. Standing at his side as the five great nations, and the smaller nations, fell beneath their rule. Standing by his side as he appreciated her beauty, but also her strength as she crushed her foes beneath her fingertips one-by-one. Rising to power, defeating those who stood in her way, and watching him as he stared deeply into her eyes, telling her he wanted her, would keep her, would love her.

Naraku's eyes widened, breaking contact with Kagome's, as he shifted his gaze to where the sand lifted and toppled away from the form rising out of the golden particles. He cursed his timing, and moved as the sand came crashing down upon him once more without even a word muttered by the other male. His eyes quickly snapped back to the woman breaking free of the genjutsu he had been learning quite well, and he growled. His plan would not be ruined, so he lunged toward her, dodging the sand, and went to grab her.

Sand rose around her, protecting her from his disgusting hands, as soft footsteps echoed into her ears. Kagome turned quickly, her eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to get the disturbing images of her cutting down her friends to leave her head. She sighed when she realized who was standing by her side, and bowed a bit, "Kazekage-sama."

He barely cast his eyes over her before he deemed her well, and turned back to the one who had taunted her and driven her so far away from his watchful eye. He had been told many stories when he decided to listen of the being Naraku, and it was not hard for him to piece together that this creature before him was that half-breed. The dark-haired male quickly moved back, his white cloak held tightly between his fingers, as blood dripped from where the sand had penetrated his flesh. "Naraku," he stated calmly.

"Bastard," Naraku hissed.

Kagome's hands went to move once more, but stopped when the Kazekage sent her a small glare. She obeyed his wishes, since she knew he wanted her to save the rest of her chakra at the moment, and turned to glare at her enemy.

"So," Naraku finally sneered, "you are the precious Gaara that has allowed the miko to learn under his wing?"

"I am," Gaara replied. "Not that the knowledge concerns you." With a small amount of concentration, the sand moved once more around them, chasing after Naraku as the half-breed moved. This was his element; there was no doubt in his mind that the being plaguing Kagome's thoughts and nightmares would soon be dead. Naraku simply had nowhere to go, nowhere that he could hide at the moment in order to hide from the sand that became so deadly under his control.

Naraku snarled, and sent out a barrage of spiked tentacles that stopped the sand's path for a single moment—a moment that allowed him his escape into the sky. His barrier, much weaker in this new world and harder to control or create, surrounded his form, and he moved into the air. His form returned to that of completely human, as he sneered down at the miko protected by her precious Kazekage—it was disgusting seeing her almost completely behind his back. "I will be back," he hissed. "Do not think that you will win so easily next time, Gaara, for the miko will be _mine_."

Gaara's eyes narrowed, watching as the ball surrounding Naraku darkened in color and swept into the sky away from sight. However, the sand rose around them like a dome as a cloud of miasma came rushing down upon them. It sizzled into the dome he had created, moved through any small holes it could find, but he was not concerned at the small amount.

Kagome frowned, and quickly reached into her pouch once more. She did not know why she had not used them before when she had confronted Naraku, Sango had given her the masks long before she and Inuyasha had been separated from them. However, she did not think about that as she tied one around her face, and with her face down held out the other to the male standing in front of her as he turned to face her. She was actually quite surprised when he took it, but did not say anything as he secured it.

"Are you injured?" Gaara suddenly asked.

She shook her head, "No, Kazekage-sama. I merely need rest to restore my chakra to one hundred percent."

His eyes narrowed, looking at the blood that stained her left sleeve. It was damp, meaning that it was recent, and something that he had not caught sight of when he had first looked her over. "You will go to one of the medics when we return to the village for you arm," he ordered. He saw that she clutched it with her other hand and nodded quickly. Obviously she was hiding the discomfort that it caused her, for whatever reason she had.

Kagome watched as the dome surrounding them folded back on itself, and then collapsed back into mounds upon the sand. She had always been fascinated with how easily he controlled the golden particles, but even more so with the fact that he had a demon sealed inside of him. Of course, he did not need to know that she knew that, but she had noticed how he seemed to stare a little longer at her whenever she was in his presence, almost like he expected her to walk away, whether in disgust or indifference.

The sand lifted suddenly, forming a platform that Kagome had only seen a few times before. She smiled at the form of transportation, happy that she would not have to walk back to the village, since she was not quite sure just how far Naraku had pushed her away. Kagome was slightly surprised, however, when she realized that Gaara had reached out his hand to assist her in climbing atop the platform he had created, and then even more so when he pressed her shoulder until she sat in front of him. She looked up, and noticed instantly that he seemed to be frowning at her arm, before the platform shifted forward, and her gaze moved to the land before them.

A small smile appeared on her face, though, for Naraku was wrong. Gaara may be incapable of loving her, as she knew she wanted him to, but he was not incapable of caring. He showed it differently, but he cared, and that, at the moment, was enough for her, since there was a chance that it could become more.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ Gah, homework is a drag. I love writing, but homework seems to constantly block my writing abilities, until someone asks me to rant off on an original idea I've come up with but haven't found the time to begin. Sometimes, I wish that I had some type of remote that slowed everything down so that I would have all the time in the world to finish something, but alas I do not. 

Lol, anyway, I know there isn't much action between the main pairing this one-shot was supposed to end up as. Anyway, it was more of a caring type of thing anyway, rather than a full-blown pairing filled with love and acceptance and eternal cherishing, though I'm hoping the next one will be.

Thanks for reading,

Kiba 

_Next Up_ (_hopefully either_): Kyo/Kagome (if I actually start typing it again), Miroku/Kagome (I have _no_ idea when this one will get done, everything else keeps getting in the way), Edward/Kagome (if I can remember most of the lines I had thought up and forgot), Byakuya/Kagome (eh, I need to watch more Bleach), possibly a Vampire Knight/Inuyasha since I found myself completely fascinated with the series (ah, such beautiful Night Class boys), or Manjyome/Kagome (most likely, but I could end up doing one of the other pairings first)


	48. Bad Taste: Manjyome Jun

_**Title:**__ Bad Taste_

_**Summary:**__ They always said she had bad tastes, but she couldn't help but fall for a guy that would rather push her away than even listen to a word that fell from her lips._

**Pairing:** Manjyome/Kagome (Chazz/Kagome)

**Anime:** Yu-Gi-Oh GX/IY

* * *

_If they give you ruled paper, write the other way._ _**–Juan Ram**__**ó**__**n Jiménez**_

* * *

Her old friends back home had always said that she had terrible taste in men, and she was beginning to see why. However, there was that small piece of her mind that demanded she do the opposite of what everyone else was doing, to prove them wrong in some fashion or form. After all, even though she had bad taste, there was some good in everyone, right? 

She sighed slightly, knowing that her friends back home, before she was shipped off to Duel Academy, would most likely mutter amongst themselves about how her newest _crush_ was completely, utterly _wrong_ for her. Then they would most likely try to convince her to go out with some humble, simple guy, like Akitoki Hojo—as they had been doing for many years. She would then wave them off, saying that he wasn't that bad, he had his good points, and tell herself that she was not going to do as they asked her to—she would do the opposite.

However, there was also the fact that her friends had been a bunch of giggling girls who melted at a pretty face, and they would most likely do that around Manjyome before they found out how rude he could be. They would sigh and giggle about his gravity-defying hair, and how good he was at duel monsters even though they had absolutely no idea how to play it themselves. Not to mention the fact that they would probably continuously ask her things about him; about how well he kissed and what he gave her as gifts—he was not her boyfriend, he did _neither_, and she seriously doubted he _would_, but that was not the point.

Then, their romantic world would come crashing down when he told them to buzz off, and snapped at them to call him "Manjyome-san" instead of "Manjyome-kun" as they most likely would. Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi would then do a total one-eighty and tell her that he was the meanest, nastiest boy they had ever met, and she should forget about him. They would complain about his cold tone; the way he dressed in black constantly; the way he glared; hell, they would probably even begin to complain about the way he _walked_. In truth, she would not even listen to a word they said, since she was not one to be controlled and she liked to be different in some manner or form.

Different was good sometimes, right?

She always thought so, since she had always tried to make friends with people who liked to glare at her a lot. Her mother had taught her that the labels good and bad were just labels, not actually people. There actions were what gave them those labels, and a lot of times a bit of patience and kindness could get them the label of good in one person's eyes. So, she had always been that way, which made her wonder how she had became friends with Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi—who constantly sent her letters, and demanded she write back—in the first place. Of course, that did not mean she was _only_ friends with Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi, since she knew a lot of other people, like Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, Bankotsu, Sango, Kagura, Kanna, and a bunch of others who were not the kindest to her at first.

Still, even all that did not change the fact that she _did_ have bad taste. Not only did she seem to pick the prick most of the time—Inuyasha being a perfect example—but she seemed to pick a guy who had pervious ties. Of course, she was not blind to what went on around in Duel Academy, and she certainly was not blind to how people acted around others. Manjyome, since she had known him, seemed to have a soft spot for Asuka, while Asuka seemed to be trying to make Juudai realize she liked him, and Juudai seemed to have a soft spot for Asuka too. To be the one trying to capture another's attention while they were trying to catch another, though the feelings were returned, was a situation she knew all _too_ well.

Another sigh passed her lips as she reached over to stroke her duel disk slightly. Now she just felt like a forth, unwanted wheel that was trying to subtly hint toward things, but was constantly ignored. Sure, she was always around them, since Juudai insisted on being her friend, which was great, and Asuka and the others soon followed, though Manjyome was the first to admit that he was not _friends_ with any Slifer, even if he was one. Asuka had told her that story, even though Manjyome had protested it many times throughout the tale, and even now it made her smile.

A familiar presence conjured itself behind her, and she looked up to find the translucent image of her duel spirit staring down at her. Lady Assailant of Flames gave her a fierce look, but one filled with understanding, and gave a single gesture with her right hand, which stilled carried her sharpened weapon. The fire duel monster obviously wanted her to follow her heart, to take what she believed what was rightfully hers, but she knew that the duel spirit would not push her. Lady Assailant merely wished to help her step in the right direction, to show her fiery spirit outside of a duel, but she was not so sure if she should.

"Are you sure?" she asked the translucent monster.

Lady Assailant of Flames gave a single nod. The warrior woman then gave her another fierce glance, before reaching up with her left hand in order to pull a feather from her hair. "_To follow ones path,_" the duel spirit said in a determined voice, "_one must follow ones heart_." She held out the feather to her, and watched as her duelist took it, before nodding again. It was what she believed, and she had handed down her wisdom whether she listened or not.

Holding the purple feather between her fingers, she turned it slowly. "You've never let me down before," she smiled, "so I will think about it. I promise."

The duel spirit's eyes glittered, before she allowed herself to disappear from view.

Once again the young duelist with bad tastes sighed, as she realized the translucent feather Lady Assailant had given her had disappeared as well. However, as she thought about it, knowing that she would take her duel spirit's advise to heart, she decided that she should not be sitting around thinking anymore. "Besides," she said to herself, "I need to get to Professor Chronos…" She froze while staring down at her watch, "Ten minutes!?! Oh, no, I can't be late!"

* * *

"…and then I remove three cards from the top of my deck in order to activate Lady Assailant of Flames special effect, thus causing eight hundred points of direct damage to your life points," she said smugly. She removed the three cards, and watched as her opponent's life points dropped. "Your life points are at zero, you lose." She watched then as her three monsters, and her opponent's single one seemed to shatter to pieces, and their duel disks deactivated. 

Her opponent clenched his hands and looked toward the ground dejected, "I lost…"

She blinked, before saying, "That's alright, you dueled very well! I'm sure that you'll get better in no time if you work some more with your magic and trap cards." She smiled, and then jogged away toward her friends, not realizing that the male she had dueled was blushing a bit around the ears from her encouragement.

Asuka was the first to meet her, "You did great, Kagome."

"Thanks," Kagome smiled. "I almost thought I was going to lose for a moment there, but then I drew Lady Assailant of Flames and I knew I was going to be alright."

Asuka smiled at how much Kagome loved her cards. It was so obvious, not to mention a few other things, though the girl seemed completely oblivious to those. Though, from what she knew, she would place the blame on her friends that were always discouraging her from going after certain _things_. Asuka smiled secretively to herself when she noticed that Juudai had already gotten into a major conversation with Kagome on how she had used her trap cards—and Juudai once again expressed how much he would love to duel the brightly smiling girl.

However, with a calculated eye Asuka glanced over at Manjyome, noticing that he was once again scowling at how close Juudai was getting while speaking with Kagome. Of course, she knew that there was nothing to serious about that, but Manjyome's look was becoming darker by the second, and she knew that her suspicions had been correct. She had noticed right away when Kagome had showed interest, but it had been a bit harder to tell exactly how far Manjyome's feelings went until she had noticed him glaring heatedly at a _lot_ of different boys that seemed to stare at Kagome as she walked from class to class. Just as he had been doing with the Ra Yellow Kagome had just dueled and defeated.

"Your duel was so awesome!" Juudai exclaimed again.

Manjyome seemed to twitch, "We get it already, Slifer Slacker!"

"Manjyome have you—" Kagome visibly flinched to herself.

"It's Manjyome-san," he snapped, but instantly shut his mouth and scowled at the floor. However, the former Obelisk refused to apologize as he crossed his arms and waited for her to continue.

"Have you forgotten that you're a Slifer Red?" Kagome asked. "_Again_?"

"Not for much longer," he snorted.

Kagome sighed, wondering once again why she had to have such bad taste in men. Why was it that _she_ had to go for what many other women could shun away from? Why was she cursed to this fate? However, she had to admit that no matter how much he snapped, yelled, or glared he was still good looking, and his good qualities were hiding underneath the surface. Weren't they? _They have to be,_ she sighed, _he has to hide them somewhere_.

Asuka shook her head a bit. They were so obvious about it; it was almost down right _adorable_. Though, it would be much better if they would realize it between themselves, rather than continuing with their friendship—she doubted that Manjyome even considered it that, however. The prince was stubborn to the bone, and Kagome was just oblivious to any type of romance that included her in the equation. It was obvious they needed a push in the right direction, though the question was what would push them in that direction?

"Right," Kagome said. She turned away from him, deciding that she did not wish to get him anymore riled up than he already was. "Um, shouldn't we be heading back to the dorm soon, Asuka? I mean, it is getting kind of late, and Professor Chronos expects us to be ready for that test tomorrow."

"Test?" Juudai asked. "What test?"

Sho, standing next to his old friend, sighed. "Oh, Juudai, the test that Professor Chronos told us about yesterday in class."

"There's a—a test?" he blinked. Then, he smiled, "Oh, well, I bet I'll pass it with flying colors!"

Kagome figured she should be the one to break the ice, "Juudai, it's a written test." She noticed that she had caught his attention easily, "On the _notes_ we were supposed to take yesterday."

He seemed to freeze.

"Oh," Kagome sighed, "I'm sure that we could help you study before it gets too late. Couldn't we, Asuka?"

"Certainly," Asuka smiled.

Kagome smiled when she realized how much closer Juudai slid to Asuka's side. However, when she glanced over at Manjyome she noticed that he was scowling a bit deeper than usual, staring straight at the ace of the Slifer Red dorm. She did not allow her smile to slip, but she knew how he felt, since she had gone through it herself. However, she felt a bit sad that she was subtly trying to tamper in the feelings he already had, and wondered if Lady Assailant of Flames was _wrong_ this one time.

Just this once, since her duel spirit had never been wrong before.

However, though she noticed that Juudai looked at her a bit when she felt the presence of Lady Assailant once more, she got no strange stares as she turned to look up at the fierce warrior woman. To most it probably seemed like she was staring up at the stars beginning to form in the sky already, but she stared deeply in the eyes of her duel spirit, wondering what new help she may give. After all, she had not been there when she had tried to get Inuyasha's notice, but she was sure that even then she would have known what to do.

"_To follow ones path_," the translucent warrior stated, "_one must follow ones heart._"

Kagome frowned.

"_To love is a gift,_" the spirit continued, "_not a burden. Follow your heart, and you shall find your one true path._" Lady Assailant of Flames eyes seemed to burn into her duelist's soul for a moment, before the warrior gave a flick of her deadly weapon. Then, she allowed herself to disappear, knowing that somewhere her words would be understood, and somewhere they would be followed.

Softly, Kagome touched the deck now silent in her duel disk, and allowed her gaze to shift from the sky. Lady Assailant knew what she was talking about, she knew she did, but there was something about her words that held so many double meanings. True, following her heart could get her what she wanted, but _what if_ Manjyome would be happier if he managed to catch Asuka's attention. There were so many things that could go wrong, she was just not sure if she should follow the words that the duel monster had stated so clearly, or simply ignore them this _one_ time.

Suddenly, she felt very tired, wishing that she did not have to think about just how bad her taste in men was at the moment, or the words of the duel spirit. Sleep sounded like a miracle from heaven at that moment, but she knew that she still needed to help Juudai. After all, there was a definite 'yes' marked on the question of: did he not take the notes he needed for the test tomorrow? Just as there was a definite 'yes' marked on the fact that he had been sleeping during the lesson yesterday, and a 'yes' stamped onto the fact that Professor Chronos yelled his head off when he woke him.

Asuka sighed, "I could help Juudai while you get some sleep if you're tired, Kagome." She had noticed instantly how the other duelist's shoulders had slumped, and when Manjyome's glare softened a bit at the suggestion. There was no telling what was going through the prince's mind, but she doubted that it involved simply study time between two friends.

Kagome blushed at how obvious her tired form had been, and straightened a bit. "If you don't mind," she said.

"I'm sure I can handle it," Asuka replied. She eyed Manjyome once more, noticing that he had crossed his arms and was scowling off into the distance like normal. Once more she wondered if there was any possible way to get him to admit his feelings toward her fellow Obelisk without confronting him, but she knew that there was a high possibility of her needing to do just that. He was so stubborn at times; it was no wonder that this one time Kagome was not even picking up _some_ of the signs he gave off.

"Thanks," Kagome smiled.

* * *

She pouted at the letter in her hand, wishing that the words on it would just disappear. She did not even want to know how Yuka had figured out that she was hiding something, let alone that she was thinking about a boy when she was writing her last letter to her. In fact, she did not even want to think about how much Yuka wanted to know about that boy, since her friend would most likely squeal and giggle about it with Eri and Ayumi, and then everyone else would find out. Then, Yuka and the others would be given so many lies and she would have to keep them straight, and she hated lying, until finally they got a slap in the face with reality when they found out she had slipped back into her _problem_, as they liked to dub it as. 

Still, she had no doubt from Yuka's words that Eri and Ayumi already knew that she liked some boy. Of course, then Yuka just had to mention that she hoped it was some cute guy, someone who was really good at that "card game she was obsessed with", since she apparently did not need a boyfriend who got beat by her every time they played. Really, she wished that her friends would understand that to her it was more than a game, and she dueled, not played—though, in truth they were basically the same thing, but she hated thinking of it that way. Dueling, to her, was more important than simply _playing_ a _game_… and dueling Manjyome was actually quite interesting.

Frowning at the thought, she realized that she had managed to get him to duel with her a few days ago and lost. Of course, losing was not that big of a deal since she liked simply the thrill of playing, but her friends words made her realize something else. Something that tore a small piece of her heart each time she thought about it—Manjyome had, once again, been glancing at Asuka as they had dueled. She had managed to have a polite conversation with him—well, as polite as she could get out of him—and thought that he was beginning to notice her feelings, no matter how small they seemed. Though, if she remembered correctly, his look had been rather displeased, but that could easily be explained by the fact that Juudai had been standing close by.

If only the stubborn Slifer, even if it was getting close to the dorm switch exam and he was sure to make Obelisk, would realize what she wanted him to realize. But, as her friends had always said, she had bad taste in men, and this time was no exception. Apparently, though, her taste was getting worse, since the stubborn prince was not even lowering his defenses an inch after all this time. She was sure that her friends would whine and complain about the same time, telling her over and over again that she needed to go for a quieter, easily read man, like Lamo Hojo. Her friends would find lots of faults in Manjyome once they realized his true nature, falling out of their lust-induced haze from simply looking at him.

In a way, she was almost glad that they were only able to communicate through mail because of the distance.

And, in a small way, she was slightly glad that Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi had not met Manjyome yet. Maybe, if she was able to break through his shell a little bit before they did, even if she had not managed to steer his gaze away from her friend, then maybe—just _maybe­—_she would be able to make him be a _little_ nicer to them. Just a little, that would be all she would ask for, since she would not care if he snapped at them if they got too irritating. Actually, she would somewhat anticipate the moment he would, since it would get them to scurry away and mutter about him in a corner, hopefully not dragging her away with them.

However, she knew there was only a small chance that they would ever meet him. Whether it was because he finally realized she liked him, even if it was probably only a stupid little crush, or because one of them managed to learn how to play duel monsters and got into Duel Academy. She doubted, especially at that moment, that either one was going to happen in the near future, which gave her plenty of time to prepare for if they ever did. Hopefully, and she was really counting on it, they _never_ did, though, since she really did not feel like listening to them whine, before muttering about how it was her choice and she was odd for picking such terrible boys.

A breeze caught her attention as she turned her head, allowing her hair to flutter behind her in the increasing winds. For a moment she smiled, closed her eyes, and allowed her worry about her bad tastes and her friends wash away as she enjoyed the current silence. However, she knew that she would need to return to the Obelisk Dorm soon, having only come outside in order to read her letter—though she was still slightly surprised she had not gotten one from all of her friends. After the wind had died down, though, she opened her eyes and sighed, her worries and rotten judgement settling back down onto her shoulders.

With a small shake of her head, she returned her eyes to the letter from Yuka and reread a few of the lines. She would need to reply to them, but she was not quite sure what to tell. After all, if she managed to write the wrong thing, Yuka would instantly be able to tell that she had fallen back into her problem. Then she would receive a long lecture on what to do in order to get over the bad crush, as Yuka had dubbed them long ago, and she really did not wish to read that. In fact, she rather not even think about it, but knew that if she said even the smallest thing she would get one, only to not listen to it, and get another one when Yuka figured that out, too.

And then she would curse the never-ending cycle that Yuka would create.

"What are you doing?"

The demand caused her to jump slightly in response, and spin around on the bench she occupied. She thought for a moment that she might need to defend herself—though the thought probably only came from the constant need to glance over her shoulder that Sesshoumaru, Naraku, and a bunch of other people she knew managed to instill in her subconscious. However, she realized as she stared at the dark-haired male staring down at her that she knew him, she did not need to defend herself, and a small blush was beginning to form onto her cheeks.

"Ah," she bit her lip at the stupid sound. "I'm reading a letter one of my friends sent, that's all, Manjyome-san."

"Don't you realize how late it's getting?" Manjyome demanded, glaring a bit at her. "You could get sick or something…" his voice trailed off as he seemed to realize what he had said, and added, "Not that I care."

Kagome blinked, knowing from experience and the tense stance that he was lying to her. She smiled then, glad that she could at least get him to care about her in some way, though it really was not that big of a thing to him most likely. "Of course, I'll make sure to go inside soon if it matters so much to you," she said.

He looked almost like he had been slapped in the face, as he glowered at her. "I don't care!" he denied quickly.

"Right," Kagome said. "Forget I mentioned it." She glanced down at the letter in her hand when she noticed that his attention had moved onto it, and quickly folded it over so that he was not able to read any of the words. It was not her fault that she had accidentally written his name the last time she had written to Yuka, and Yuka instantly assumed that she liked him. However, the very thought that he might find that out so suddenly caused her to redden, and turn her face before he noticed. Afterward, she shot him a small glance. "What are you doing out here anyway, Manjyome-san? Shouldn't you be getting ready for bed at the Slifer Dorm?"

"I—" he stopped, and looked as if he was trying to come to a decision. "I was told to come out here."

"Oh?" she blinked in surprised. "By who?"

"That's none of your business," he snapped, and then clamped his mouth shut. His glare decreased as well, and he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket. He fiddled lightly with the object there, and glanced at her again.

She scowled at his tone, and turned her head away. Then, after a small moment of thinking, she stood up and folded her letter in order to put it back into the bag she carried. After pulling the bag over her shoulder, she nodded in understanding, and said, "Alright. I need to get back to the Obelisk Dorm now anyway, since I need to be ready for tomorrow. Juudai wants to duel me after class, and I really should look over my cards to come up with a strategy he hasn't seen."

Manjyome stood there, watching her as she began to walk by him. Kagome did not think that he would do anything, from the way that he was scowling at the ground, but was surprised when his hand grabbed her upper arm. She gasped, almost allowing her instinct to hit him come into play, but managed to stop herself as he stopped her from moving any further from him. She watched him, as finally he pulled a box from his pocket and thrust it out to her.

"Asuka told me to give this to you," he muttered. He turned his gaze away from her, not wanting to watch her reaction as she opened that stupid little box. He had looked inside himself, and Asuka had told him that Kagome would like it. However, he was never quite sure with the crazy woman, since she constantly seemed to have a different emotion cradled in her hand.

Frowning, and feeling his fingers loosen around her arm, Kagome opened the small box. Inside was a single card, which seemed to shine in the remaining light that was cast down upon them by the sun. She frowned for a moment, and then realized that Asuka had told him to give it to her, which meant it was from her. The card, The Swords of Revealing Light, was one that she had told her friend that she wanted one day when she had asked a question that was fleeting from her head. "I'll make sure to thank Asuka then," Kagome finally said.

"What?" Manjyome asked. Asuka had said she would thank _him_, not _her_! This was just another perfect example of how this girl managed to pull him through hoops. He hated to admit it, but he wanted her to sequel and thank him over and over again, no matter how much the sound hurt his ears or how much he had to endure of her possible hug.

"Well, Asuka told you to give it to me, so it's obviously from her," Kagome explained.

"But I wanted to give it to you!" Manjyome nearly shouted. He quickly looked away, glaring at the nearest tree for his slip up. He did not care how much he liked this girl, he did not want to make a fool of himself in front of her.

"You did?" she asked.

He nodded stiffly.

"But how did you know that I wanted this card?" Kagome asked in confusion.

He refused to answer, crossing his arms over his chest. However, he returned his gaze to her, and felt a slight satisfaction when he noticed her cheeks redden. He had not really believed Asuka when she had told him Kagome liked him, nor had he agreed that he liked her. The coloration of her cheeks caused his lips to twitch slightly, though, but he was not quite sure if it was because of the card or something else.

"Oh, thank you then, Manjyome-san," Kagome smiled. She smiled a little more when she noticed his smirk, and knew that her blush was tenderly petting his ego. At that very thought her face darkened a bit more, and her heart fluttered, while a small voice in her head squealed. She knew that her bad taste would most likely mean that any relationship they had not last very long, but she was positive that he knew of her feelings. And the best thing was that he probably felt something in return.

"_Follow your heart…_" brushed against her mind. "_…Find your path…_"

Manjyome frowned, though not from the words that came from her mouth, and kicked a small pebble in front of his foot. Then, glancing at her face once more, he said, "Meet me after class tomorrow."

Kagome watched as he turned and walked away very stiffly. She almost laughed at how tense his shoulders appeared underneath his black jacket, and how long his stride became, almost as if he was not willing to wait for her to reject him. However, even if she had bad taste, she would not reject his words, even if they somewhat seemed like a demand to her ears. Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi be damned, she was not about to let their silly words stop her from getting what she wanted, especially now that she was pretty certain that Manjyome liked her back.

In fact, she was happy she had _bad taste_, because she would not have liked him if she wanted someone similar to what her old friends wished for. She was fine the way she was, and she would accept Manjyome the way he was, and if they could not accept that, then they really would be labeled _old_ friends. But, she was sure that after they complained they would finally come to understand that she was not going to do as they told her to.

--_Fin_

* * *

**_KibaSin:_** Ok, I apologize for any out of character-ness that the YGO GX team might have, but as I've stated before I haven't seen the series in quite some time. I just wanted to get this pairing out, since Manjyome is my favorite character, followed closely by Ryo. That and this just hit me after I finally got the original names, instead of the English verisons. 

Ohh, and you should all thank the person who sold us a somewhat new car (it was built in '89), my dad for driving me up there, and the Hastings where I live, because they have a new manga section (it is HUGE). I bought the first volumes of Death Note and D.N. Angel! I plan to also buy Vampire Knight for myself, xXxHolic, Prince of Tennis, MAR, 5 - 11 of Hikaru no Go, and a lot of the others that they have. I was squealing and running around as I tried to pick which two volumes I was going to buy on the day we went, though (my floppy disk went bad and I had to get a new one :( ...) that was a few days ago, and I finally ended up choosing those two! I love manga!

But, I would like to also cry about not making my dead line (though I gave it to myself...) on a few of my other stories. I'm such a slacker.

_Kiba_


	49. Observation: L

_**Title:** Observation_

_**Summary:** Suspicion is not nearly the correct word for what Yagami Light feels for the girl who hangs on "Ryuga Hideki" yet has such sharp eyes._

**Pairing:** L/Kagome, somewhat Light/Kagome

**Manga:** Death Note/IY

* * *

"This girl will be helping with the investigation?" the first male looked quite skeptical.

The photograph lying on the table before them was of a young woman, smiling brightly at them. She was turning in the photo, looking rather surprised, yet happy at the same time for whatever reason she had. However, it was the look of her captured eyes that seemed to draw another closer. It almost seemed as if she was staring at them, even through the photograph, and looking deep into their souls.

"Yes," another said, taking a small sip from his cup as he twiddled his toes together. "She is said to have an excellent skill for observation, and has helped with a number of cases that have been labeled with abnormal occurrences. I believe that she will be an interesting addition to our cause."

"But she looks so young," another said.

"Yagami Light is only a college student," the first sighed. "This girl couldn't be older than he is, and he's going to be helping with the Kira case. So, I suppose, if Ryuzaki believes it would be for the best, we should at least give it a try."

"The picture is four years old," the man labeled Ryuzaki said, picking up the photograph from the table. He held it lightly by a corner, looking closely at the smiling girl as she gazed back at him. He had heard things about the girl that pointed in her favor, and he believed that if her observation skill was as good as they said that she might be able to help him see things more closely—possibly raise his suspicion of Yagami Light. "It was taken when she turned sixteen, a few days before she succeeded in solving her first case."

"_Sixteen_?" one of the men gasped.

Yagami Soichiro frowned deeply, wondering if Ryuzaki—otherwise known as L—was going to use this girl in order to investigate his son further. He did not like the fact that Ryuzaki seemed to believe his son, his only son, was the mass murderer Kira, but he could not deny his sense of reasoning. "I think it would be for the best," he finally said. "If we can trust her."

Another simply nodded, "We could use all the help we can get."

"Of course we can," L stated. "She comes highly recommended." His lips tilted slightly in a smile, "And it is said that she is used to working under an alias and hiding her face, so it will make working with her much easier."

"Should I call her then, Ryuzaki?"

L turned his head slightly, and nodded once as he chewed lightly on the end of his thumb. He knew that he would need to analyze the woman once she came in, as a security measure, but he doubted that there would be much trouble. And, it was a good thing that she was a little more around Light's age, since that meant she might be able to get closer to him than he would be able to. Her observation skills, if she was able to avoid Light's powers of deduction, might make her the perfect person to get closer and observe the outstanding student—and it helped a bit that she had looks that caught the eyes of men.

Watari nodded, pulling the cell phone from his pocket and beginning to dial the number. Within moments he was connected, and listened to the young woman on the other end as she asked him his purpose for calling. "Yes, may I speak with a Higurashi-san?"

Soichiro clasp his hands together in frustration, and asked, "I still have to ask, however, what you plan for this girl to do? If she's recommended because of her skill in observation, then shouldn't she be in the field?"

L blinked in confusion, before turning his head away from the picture in his hand. Then, slowly, he smiled, knowing exactly what the girl would help him with.

* * *

"Have you seen that new transfer student?"

"I know, isn't she hot?"

"Yeah, but it's weird that she seems to hang out with that slob. He might be a freshmen representative, but you'd think he'd at least be able to dress better—it's obvious he's got money, the jerk."

Ryuk turned his head, wondering what the boys off to the side were talking about. However, he held down his curiosity as Light moved on, only a few more words being caught by his ears. Most humans were strange creatures, but he found that their actions were very amusing. Just the amusement he needed, in fact, with the world he had known as home going to hell and becoming so boring as his fellow shinigami played cards all day.

Light turned his head only slightly, interested only when the first boy mentioned "that slob". It was possible that they were speaking of another person, but he doubted it once the words "freshmen representative" came up. However, since they were speaking of L, who was this girl that was supposed to be hanging around with him? There was a small possibility that he might be able to manipulate her to his needs in order to finally destroy L. Of course, he could not use the Death Note to have her kill him unless she was known to do that type of thing—he seriously doubted she was—but perhaps he could use her to find out L's true name.

He hated that L could humiliate him so easily. He hated that L had trapped him into a corner. If he could, he would take any opportunity he could in order to get rid of him. He knew he could not simply kill him, even if he knew his real name, because that would instantly cause the NPA to suspect him of being Kira with how close L was to him most of the week. In truth, he could not touch L at the moment, not until he found a way in order to place the blame on another person, or found the second Kira—even then he had small hope of finding a way to get rid of him.

Still, he would not let anyone stand in his way of creating a utopia. That was what L was doing, standing in his way of finally creating a world free of violence, crime, and injustice. He was forcing him back into a corner, only giving him small spaces in order to strike, and barely any of them were big enough to actually do any good. Though, he had to admit that L was not as nearly as good as everyone made him seem, since he had managed to avoid being caught, or suspected more, at every turn.

"Yagami-kun."

Ryuk watched, chuckling slightly as Light turned innocently toward the other male. L was standing not far away, scratching the back of his calf with his shoe. He remained hunched over like usual, and simply stared at Light as he greeted him. However, what caught his eye was the girl that came racing at them from the opposite direction. "You better watch out, Light," he chuckled, watching as Light barely moved as the girl let out a joyous greeting.

"Hideki-kun!"

Light stepped to the side, watching as the black-haired girl raced around him and stopped right in front of L. His eyes narrowed only slightly, before he allowed them to widen, not wanting to let anything slip by. He watched, looking slightly stunned, as the girl turned to him after a moment, and smiled innocently. He had to admit, she was rather pretty on the eyes, but he was more interested with how much help she might give him.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," she bowed a bit in apology. "I guess I got so excited that I didn't realize I was about to run you over. I haven't seen Hideki-kun in a very long time, you see…" She trailed off, frowning, and said once more, "I'm very sorry."

"It's quite alright," Light nodded. "There was no harm done."

She blinked, before giggling, "This is so terribly rude of me. I'm Higurashi Kagome." She bowed once more, and grinned brightly as she readjusted her books in her arms.

Light resisted the urge he suddenly had. She was rather annoying with how quickly she spoke, as if she was going to run out of time if she did not get the words out fast enough. However, he supposed that her beauty was enough to make anyone overlook her fault, since she could probably smile and make many men fall to their knees at the sight. Plus, if she were going to be any help to him, he would need to tolerate her for a short time before making her disappear. It would not be that hard once L was out of the way—though, he supposed that he should not kill an innocent, no matter how annoying her voice was.

Another thought occurred to him at that moment. She had called L by his school alias, yet she had practically said that she had known him for quite some time. Did she think that he did not know Ryuga Hideki was L, or had L simply told her to call him that because of the appearance he needed to keep? That would mean that she had seen L earlier, or at least spoken with him—so, did she know of the Kira case? Well, of course she knew of Kira, it was all over the news, but did she know of L's suspicion that he was Kira? If so, why was she being so kind to him? Or was that merely an act—no, he could see from her eyes that her kindness was genuine.

Ryuk noticed when Light's eyes flashed for the briefest of moments.

_Is she working with L on the Kira case?_ Light wondered. There was the slight possibility that she was, which gave him even more reason to get rid of her before she gave L even more reason to suspect him. However, he could not get rid of her for the same reasons he could not get rid of L, if that were the case. The NPA, and L would know that someone in the school was Kira, and with him being the highest suspect… No, he could not get rid of her, even if she was working with L on the Kira case. Besides, he was not even sure if she was.

"I'm Yagami Light," he replied. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Higurashi-san."

She blushed attractively. "There's no need to call me 'Higurashi-san', Yagami-san. Kagome will do just fine. It makes me feel old whenever someone calls me that—reminds me of my mother, you know."

"Of course, I completely understand," Light said. He caught the slight shift of her eyes, and knew where they had landed. However, he knew that she was most likely looking at one of the students passing in the hall a little ways down, since there was no possible way she could have seen Ryuk. He knew the rules of the Death Note, and he knew that only someone who touched it could see the shinigami who owned it. There could not be an exception to that rule unless there was some type of superhuman power that some rare people possessed, and he seriously doubted that she was one of them if anyone did have such an ability.

She smiled, before turning away from him to the slumped over male watching them with curious eyes. "You haven't been giving Yagami-san any trouble have you, Hideki-kun?" She closed one eye, and brought up a finger to wave in the air before them. "I'd have to—"

Light shook his head, a small smile forming on his lips. "Ryuga hasn't given me any problems, Kagome-san. In fact, I'd say that we're almost friends from how much time we spend together. There's no need to think otherwise."

Kagome beamed, as she grabbed ahold of L's arm, and wrapped her own around it as if they were meant to be that way. She smiled up at him when he gave her another curious stare, before she turned to look at Light once more. "That's good to know. You can never tell with Hideki-kun, he's always so mysterious!"

Light's mind spun, wondering if that was a small slip on her part, or simply because she _really_ did know L out in public and he liked to keep things hidden from her. It would be understandable, him trying to protect her from the truth, if they were serious, but L looked quite uncomfortable with her hanging on his arm like that. However, it could have been her trying to test him, seeing if he noticed the slip and took it as an indication that she was working on the Kira case.

Then there were her eyes. They were a deep blue; so much depth were found in them that he seemed to be swimming for a few small moments before he pulled himself away from her enchantment. She seemed to pierce his soul, searching for purity, as she looked at him, yet appeared so innocent at the same time. Damn it, they were so sharp, as if looking for the smallest error in his personality, but they looked so sweet that he looked like he was staring at two separate people.

One standing on the left, eyes dark and threatening.

The other standing on the right, eyes bright and greeting him happily.

The first caused him to be suspicious of her true character, but the second contrasted with it and spoke of so much naivety that she could not possibly be corrupted. The first made him watch his step, wondering and waiting for her to catch any slight slip up he might make, while the second made him simply wish to be himself. One threatened his very movements, watching and waiting for any—even the smallest—misplacement he might make. The other simply wished him well, speaking of volumes upon volumes of kindness that wished to seep from her pores and into the closest person near her.

"Yes," Light nodded. "Quite often."

"Are you sick, Yagami-san?" Kagome asked, eyes cutting into his flesh. "You don't look so well. In fact, you almost look like you're going to pass out."

Light wondered why L had not spoken so far, allowing the girl hanging on his arm to simply chatter away. However, he decided that this was the perfect opportunity in order to get away from this girl and her sharp—so _innocent_—eyes. Getting away from her might give him time in order to determined why she seemed to be so happy, yet at the same time looked like she was debating on how to sentence him. Getting away might give him time in order to find a way to manipulate or simply get rid of her.

Her eyes flicked to the side again, and he _wondered_ if perhaps she _could_ see the shinigami hovering next to him.

Ryuk felt a shudder travel through his body as he twitched. Then, softly, he said, "Light, I think we should get out of here." He saw the girl's eyes glow, literally begin to shine with a red tint that extended toward him, but knew that Light could not see what was happening. "Light, this girl's not normal, we've got to get out of here!"

_As if I had not already thought of that_, he thought. Light coughed then, saying, "Yes, I believe I might be a little ill. I really should be getting to class; perhaps sitting down for a while will help."

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Yagami-san," Kagome smiled. "You should take Hideki-kun with you; you're in the same class, are you not?"

_L must have told her that_, raced through Light's head. More and more clues which led to more and more puzzles, as he tried to piece together the mystery behind this annoying girl. He had no doubt on whether or not she was working on the Kira case with how sharply she watched even his hand twitch. Her eyes might hide the calculating stare, making her seem so innocent, but there was something about her that sent shivers down his spine all of a sudden. "No," he shook his head lightly, "that won't be necessary. Besides, I would not like to intrude on your time with Ryuga."

She simply waved her hand, finally releasing L's arm from her hold. "Oh, it's nothing really. Besides, we'll see each other after school, won't we, Hideki-kun?" she smiled up at him, watching as his eyes looked down into her own.

"Of course," L nodded.

"I need to get to class too, so I'll see you two around," she said turning away. "Oh, and I hope you feel better by the end of the day, Yagami-san." She tilted her head toward them, as she brought her books back up to her chest. "Bye!"

Light relaxed, watching the girl race away as quickly as she had come. He glanced at the shinigami at his side, noticing how tense he had become, and wondered what it was that Ryuk saw that he could not. However, he decided that now was not the time to worry about it, as he turned to L as he stepped up to his side. "Well, Ryuga, I think we should do as your friend is doing and get to class before the bell rings," he said.

L nodded, looking strangely curious about something as he walked away without a word.

* * *

"Why did you not use the alias we gave you?"

She glanced up from the piece of chocolate cake sitting in front of her, and smiled at the man sitting across from her. "I did not think it was necessary after I saw what I needed to," she simply said.

L held his spoon lightly, pressing it lightly against his own slice of dessert, as he thought over her answer. "Your skills in observation are supposed to be the best, but if my deduction so far is correct, there is a chance that Yagami Light is Kira. All Kira needs to kill his victims are their face and name, as I warned you, so now there is a chance that he could take your life," he stated slowly.

"I do not believe so," she replied after a moment. "He, if his power of deduction is as good as you say, will no doubt know that I am most likely working on the Kira case, no matter how much I tried to make it seem that I am simply a girl who likes her friends a bit too much. If he believes that, and he _is_ Kira, then he will know that killing me will instantly point to him, since he is the only person in the school under suspicion who knows both my face and name. Killing me will instantly tell you who Kira is."

"It appears that you have a good reasoning ability as well," L replied.

"Well," she flicked her hair lightly blushing, "I'm not just all looks."

L glanced up, and then stuffed his spoon into his mouth as he thought. After he pulled it out, lowering it for another piece, he nodded. "My current findings have leveled out my suspicion of Yagami Light at six percent. Is there anything you saw that might have your suspicion higher than mine?"

Her eyes darkened, before she smiled a little more darkly. "What I saw?" When he nodded, she said, "You do remember when I explained to your group that I see things that other cannot, right?"

"Yes, you explained it quite thoroughly," L said.

"Good," she replied. "Because what I saw leveled my suspicion of Yagami Light out at a good eighty percent."

L almost dropped his spoon, wondering what in the world the woman saw to make her think that. "Eighty percent?" he asked. "What is it you saw that would give you such a high suspicion?"

"It is not often that you see shinigami hovering around one person, and speaking with them as if the person can hear them," Kagome laughed. She saw his face become skeptical, "Of course, I will have to find a way to give you proof, but I believe I know how Yagami Light is killing his victims, as well."

"Please explain, Higurashi-san," L pressed.

"Only once you promise to stop calling me 'Higurashi-san'," she taunted. "I hate it whenever people call me that."

"Very well, Kagome-chan," L sighed, "but please, anything that I should be looking for would help this case greatly."

"You should be looking for him writing names onto any piece of paper, whether inside a simple looking notebook or on a ripped piece he carries around," Kagome explained. "I believe he is killing his victims using what is known as the Death Note, as device that shinigami use in order to expand their lifespan using the amount they cut off of a humans true lifespan. Of course, the Death Note will do nothing in order to help him gain life, but it will allow him to kill people should he have their face in his mind and write their true name onto the Death Note, whether it is still attached in the notebook or not. In fact, it does not even need to be him that writes it, since it can be loaned to another person for a short period of time, but either way, the human will die."

"That seems very far fetched, Kagome-chan," L said.

"I see things that humans are not meant to see, Ryuzaki-san," Kagome said softly. "I see some terrible things, and this is one of them. Shinigami are _very_ real, but they are not evil, they simply try to live as long as they can, as humans do. However, when a shinigami decides to place its Death Note into the hands of a human, depending on the human's character, it can become disastrous very quickly. Humans think of their actions as justifiable, they believe when they kill they are doing it for a greater good—shinigami do not think that way, they simply wish to live longer."

L took another bite of his dessert, watching Kagome as she angrily did the same. "So, you believe that Yagami Light has a Death Note, given to him by a shinigami?" he asked.

"Given, no." She shook her head, deciding to explain, "A shinigami cannot give a Death Note to a human. It must drop it into the human world, which makes it the property of the human world at that point, but the shinigami does not have control over who picks it up. Yagami Light got all the luck when he picked it up, since it's obvious the world doesn't have any at this moment. Or, at least until I can get ahold of a piece of the Death note, though the shinigami following him will be no help since they always think of themselves as neutral."

"Do you think you can do it?" L asked. "Without getting yourself hurt?"

"I'm sure I can make a college student believe that I have feelings for him," Kagome smirked a bit. "Eventually I will be able to get inside his head, and I'm sure that I will be able to find at least one place he's hiding a piece of his Death Note. After all, I'm known for my observation skills, I'm sure that I'll see something out of place before he catches on to my skill."

"That does not answer my second question," L pointed out. He did not like the idea of her getting hurt while looking for something, even if she was supposed to be the best at her work.

"I will not get hurt as long as I never show him what I truly do," Kagome said. "As I already said, he cannot hurt me as long as I am close to you, because he cannot hurt you. Doing so would instantly point him out as the murderer Kira, and it is quite clear from the information I was already given that he is doing his best to hide that fact. However, he will be pressured knowing that he cannot kill me, and knowing that in some way I am working on the Kira case, but before he will figure out my skill, I will have already found what I wanted to find. After all, my specialty is observation, and I'm already sure that most of the Death Note is hidden somewhere in his room."

L blinked at the conclusion, but knew from the look in the woman's eyes that she was quite sure she was already correct in her assumption. However, she was now his responsibility because he was directing the Kira case, and he did not wish to see her harmed. But, it would be wise to continue as they were, no matter how much she clung to his arm during the school day, in case her suspicion was correct. Her observation skills were excellent, even if he was a bit skeptical at the thought of shinigami when he could not see them himself.

"I will find that Death Note," she smiled, "and then, Ryuzaki-san, I will show you the shinigami I spoke of."

L swallowed another piece of cake, blinking at the sweet smile that she was giving him. It was as nice as the one that had been inside her photograph, and he hoped that she smiled more often at him. However, he blinked again, and decided that for now those thoughts needed to be cast aside, since he had a job to do. But, he would not give up the pleasure of seeing it should she decide to flash that smile at him once more. "I'm sure that will be an experience worth seeing," he replied.

She closed her eyes, saying, "Yes. Yes, it is."

_--Fin _

* * *

**_KibaSin:_** I now officially have three volumes of Death Note, and one of the workers at Hastings said that volume four should be in within about three weeks, which means then I will be able to buy volumes four through eight or nine, depending on how much money I take up there. Oh, and I have the first volume (though I read through the second) of D.N. Angel, the first volume of Dragon Drive, volumes one through eight of Hikaru no Go, and the second volume of Ouran High School Host Club, though I did read the first one.

Ah, and I decided to write the rest of this, no matter how much it wasn't a full-blown pairing, because I got excited when I got 38 out of 40 on my history quiz. Best score I've gotten all year so far, though my class sucks since we have those kids who can't shut up and get the rest of us in trouble. However, now I must go write a personal narrative for English, and I hope to have something else out by the end of the month.

_Kiba _


	50. Smile: Sai

_**Title:**__ Smile_

_**Summary:**__ Though he is beginning to break out of his shell, Naruto feels that Sai could use a little help when it comes to his emotions. So, he goes out to find someone to help him, but… perhaps Sai doesn't need his help._

**Pairing:** Sai/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

His eyebrow twitched like crazy, feeling his teammate hit him in the back again, much harder than he expected to him to. Then, frowning, he turned his attention to the boy sitting at his side, and said, "You're still not doing it right!" 

He blinked lightly, his face blank. "But my book said…"

Naruto growled, "Forget the dang book for the moment! We don't care about the book at this moment, got it?"

"I thought we were supposed to forget about it," Sai pointed out.

"Agh!" Naruto allowed his head to drop and shook it from side to side. Ever since Sai had given them his first real, though awkward, smile, he'd been trying everything in his power to help him make the final step to understanding his emotions. He knew that Sai had them, he just didn't quite know it yet, but he doubted that he was truly the right person to help him. He'd ask Sakura, but she was still angry from the last time Sai slipped and started calling her 'hag' again, though he had a funny feeling it wasn't an accident. "You have to do it more like this," he patted Sai on the back in a comforting way, gently, hoping the other shinobi would be able to understand.

Thankfully, after he felt the correct, or somewhat correct amount of strength he was supposed to use, Naruto wasn't rewarded with another face-planting hit to his shoulder blade. It was softer—not as much as he would have hoped, it still kind of stung, but enough that he was positive Sai was getting it. In no time he'd be able to go out and make true friends, though it was still kind of strange whenever he'd see people he thought would make good friends and asked him if he could ask them to be his friend. "Alright," Naruto sighed, "that was better."

Sai gave him that creepy, hollow, and emotionless smile.

Naruto almost shuddered. "You do remember what we said about smiling when you don't mean it, right?" he asked. It still kind of creped him out, especially the first time Sai had picked up that stupid book and found that smiling at people make them feel better around you—or at least _seeming_ nice to them. That emotionless smile was just creepy, but he was getting there slowly, even though he still reverted back to using it once in a while, only giving out rare, real, awkward smiles at other times.

Sai nodded, his smile disappearing. "Yes."

"Good," Naruto said. "Don't smile like that again. Remember, people can tell if you mean it or not, and they normally don't trust you if you don't." Turning his head, he brought his hand up, and began to think. "What haven't we covered today?"

Sai blinked, still not used to how often the blonde changed emotions. How was it that he had so many emotions inside of him, yet he could never stay on one for long? The blonde confused him, but he was starting to understand.

"Oh, I know," Naruto finally snapped his fingers. "You've got to stop calling Sakura a hag."

"But she is," Sai replied.

Well, that confirmed it; Sai had fallen back into his habit of calling Sakura that dreadful nickname on purpose. Sighing, Naruto knew that in some weird way that was probably going end up biting _him_ in the butt. He wasn't sure how, but since Sakura knew he'd been spending time with their new teammate, she was probably going to think he'd been encouraging Sai to call her that. Sometimes, he just didn't get his female teammate at all—scratch that, most of the time, and he could bet that Sai was just as clueless.

"No, really," Naruto complained. "You have to stop calling her that. Call her something that describes her hair, or her clothing, but not 'hag'."

Sai tilted his head, and asked, "Ugly?" He watched as Naruto shook his head. "Terrible?" Again head shake. "Bad?" No again. "Gruesome?" He saw that his teammate was twitching like wild, his head shaking back and forth so fast that his headband loosened and fell onto his nose. The other shinobi quickly fixed the problem, but scowled at him in such a way that he knew he was wrong, but did not know what he was doing incorrectly. After all, all of those things, in his eyes, described his female teammate perfectly—not only that, but she did not deserve his effort.

"I give up," Naruto sighed mostly to himself. "We'll have to work on that some other time."

"Those things do describe her, though," Sai pointed out.

Naruto bristled a bit, hearing those words come out from his teammate's mouth about his crush. However, he knew that Sai was not the best at emotions, and he knew that he really could not accuse him of being wrong because of it. "Forget it," he muttered. "Just forget it. For now we'll try to do something that you might understand."

Sai watched as his blonde teammate set his chin onto his hand and thought for a few seconds. Then, he was cast a small glance, and then another, before finally the blonde straightened and stared at him with a large frown. In truth he was not sure if it was normal behavior from people who showed so much emotion, or simply something that was wrong with Naruto, but he watched and wondered if he should do the same thing in response. However, he was not given the chance when the blonde finally sighed, and began to speak.

"All right, Sai," Naruto said. "This is how this is going to work! I'm going to go find someone to help you better than I can and you're going to go find something to do while I find this person!"

"What is the reason behind such a person?" Sai asked. He also wondered for a moment if Naruto would find a person worth his time or someone else that looked horrible in his eyes. In the first case he may listen, but in the second he would simply tell the blonde to forget his plans.

"You're getting it," Naruto smiled, "but I think I know someone who might be able to help you more than I can!"

Sai shrugged, "Very well." Knowing his teammate, he would choose one of the females that he knew, and Sai did not care for. If Naruto decided to try Sakura, he would simply walk away, because he refused to stay in her presence more than necessary—the same with her _rival_, Ino. Perhaps, though, if he decided to try someone else, even if it was still someone he might consider useless, he may give it a small try—perhaps a minute would please his teammate?

"Alright!" Naruto jumped up, smiling brightly. "I'll be back later. Just make sure to stay in plain sight, that way I won't have to use my awesome shinobi skills to track you down!" After he said those words he shot off, a small trail of dirt trailing behind him as he traveled forth. Determination shot through his veins, delighted with this new quest to find another, better teacher for his friend. After all, he was positive that one of the girls he knew would be willing to help, and any of them could explain emotions better to Sai than he could—he could feel it in his blood.

Sai blinked, watching him rush away. For a moment he stayed there, wondering how long it would take the blonde to get this person he knew, but then decided that he would have better things to do. In fact, he might be able to get one of the members of Root to explain to him why Naruto's emotions constantly moved and changed. Perhaps one of them would be able to tell him something, shed a little light on the subject, but as he thought more on the subject, he doubted any of them could. Naruto wished to help him because of the way he acted within Root and how he acted once Danzo placed him onto Team Seven, so it was obvious Root was the cause of Naruto's wish.

Deciding that Root would not be the best at this moment, probably even getting Naruto to try and help him more—which, he truly did not think he needed, but it was _fun_ to make new friends. The blonde was helping him do that, and obviously believed that Root was driving him down. So, Sai gave a small blank look toward the sky, before moving forward toward the village. After all, Naruto insisted that they take their lessons outside the village because of the last incident between him and the hag.

* * *

He turned his head, noticing her because of the bright smile that was on her face as she talked rapidly with the woman at her side. His eyes felt drawn to that natural smile, feeling strange for a small moment, as his own lips twitched slightly in response. Not understanding his reaction to the civilian—or, she _appeared_ to be a civilian, he knew he could very well be wrong—Sai moved a bit closer in order to listen to the words leaving her lips. That smile drew his eyes to them, wondering how in the world she could look so much different from the kunoichi he had been around by simply wearing such a pretty tilt of the lips. 

He blinked a few times, wondering when such a word had popped into his head. Pretty certainly was not what he thought of that face—no, mesmerizing, or beautiful described it so much better. Then, he blinked again, wondering why in the world she was the only female to bring out such words within his head, for no kunoichi had ever been able to draw them to the surface.

"Oh, you should have seen him!" she laughed, her voice like tiny tinkling bells to his ears. "It was so funny. One moment he was standing there, and the next he had fallen over because Miroku accidentally bumped him from behind. Then, even though he's supposed to have such a good sense of his surroundings—being a shinobi and all," she rolled her eyes, "—he still blamed Miroku and went after him, only to end up tripping over a rock that he didn't see."

The other woman laughed, "That does sound like my Inuyasha."

"Yeah, though you really should do something about the language that comes from his mouth, Kikyo," she smiled a little more. "I think that Souta is beginning to copy him a little too much, since my mother caught him cursing and throwing kunai like Inuyasha does whenever he can't seem to hit the targets."

Sai watched silently, wondering for a moment if perhaps she was a kunoichi. She appeared to be his age, perhaps a bit younger, but she was not carrying any weapons. He knew, though, that that could easily be explained because they were simply hidden away on his opponent's body, or because she was off duty for the day. That smile she wore, though, caused him to step forward a bit more, before his eyes were drawn down to the painting that she was carrying in her arms. It was a picture of nin-dogs surrounding a tall man that appeared to be an ANBU with long silver hair, who, if he remembered correctly, went by the name Sesshoumaru, and had his mask hanging from his hand.

"I'll make sure to talk to him about that," Kikyo sighed. "Don't worry, Kagome, I'm sure that I can get him to cut back a little. After all, we don't want your adorable little brother to end up with such a crude mouth. Even if it does give Inuyasha a bit of charm."

The smiling girl now identified as Kagome nodded her head a bit, "I guess you're right. He just wouldn't be Inuyasha without his mouth, right?"

"Right," Kikyo smiled softly. That smile, however, was not nearly as natural or as beautiful as the one that graced Kagome's face for as long as Sai stood there, his head tilting slightly to the side.

Subconsciously he took another step forward, catching the attention of the two women. Sai blinked when the youngest turned swiftly to meet him, obviously having known he was there, but still smiling as if there was no reason for him to ever do her harm. His own lips twitched again in response, but did not rise completely, as he watched her take him in. Then, when she met his eye again, he heard Kikyo give a soft, elegant laugh that seemed to hold a secret truth.

"Hello," Kagome greeted him. "Is there something you needed?"

The automatic response in his head to ask her to be his friend began to ring again and again in his head. However, he felt that it was more than simply asking her; he wanted her to be his friend because she wished to be. But, as he looked into her blue eyes, feeling like he was swimming in them for a single moment, he felt like his tongue was caught in his throat. Unsure of himself, he raised his hand, forgetting at that moment that he was holding a small sketchpad in order to get rid of stray images that came to mind.

Her eyes brightened, "Oh, that's so pretty!"

Kikyo looked at the picture, noticing the way the snarling tiger was hunched over as if ready to pounce, and wondered how in the world her companion could consider it _pretty_ of all things. Excellent work, and beautiful strokes of an ink brush, but certainly not pretty simply because of the animal pictured. "I believe you're stretching the truth a bit, Kagome," she muttered humorously.

"Oh, shut up, Kikyo!" Kagome hissed. "Just because you don't have an artistic bone in your body—"

"Neither do you," Kikyo pointed out.

Kagome blushed a bit, but continued, "—doesn't mean you have to dump on everyone elses work." She held up the painting in her hand and swung it in Kikyo's face, "You couldn't even appreciate this piece after Sango gave it to me! Look at it, Kikyo, it's a masterpiece!"

"You only like it because it's got Sesshoumaru in it and you used to have a crush on him," Kikyo teased.

"What?" Kagome stuttered. "I did not!"

"Denial is the first stage of acceptance, Kagome," Kikyo laughed. "But, I have to admit that that piece is rather good considering Sango's other pieces of work. She's got more of a warriors hands than an artists, but I guess that she finally got something that she's good at drawing."

"But, her painting of Kirara was very good, too," Kagome muttered. She saw Kikyo nod in reply, and then turned her head back to the young man staring at them. Blushing lightly, but bringing her smile back to her face, she asked him if she could look through his work. And, when he stiffly gave her the sketchpad, she began to glance through them as Kikyo took the painting out of her hands. He was very good, it was clear that he worked very hard on them.

Sai watched her, noticing that her smile became brighter and dimmed a bit as she went through each piece of his work. Most were old, simply things that he did not wish to see in his head anymore, but he felt warm whenever she gazed down at one of his pieces with such a beautiful look. He had never named them, but the image he was getting in his head at the moment, he was positive that once he drew it, it would be given a name, and it would find itself into her hands. He did not know why, but he wanted her to have the image he was thinking of on paper, and watch to see whether she smiled brightly or sadly at it.

"You're very talented," Kikyo mentioned over Kagome's shoulder.

"Yes," Kagome nodded. She looked up and caught his eye once more, noticing that he appeared to be a bit blank in the face, but his eyes were curious toward her. "Oh," she laughed, "I forgot to ask for your name. My name's Kagome; Higurashi Kagome."

Finding his voice, he replied, "Sai."

Kikyo's eyes sharpened, "You're a shinobi, aren't you?"

He looked at her briefly, and then turned his eyes back to Kagome's face. "Yes," he nodded. He decided that he did not like Kikyo that much, not because of how she acted, but simply because of that look she had given him. She seemed to be judging him because of how close her friend was getting to him, and he was slightly surprised that he hadn't noticed her move a bit closer.

Kagome pressed the pad back into his hands, and said, "It's nice to meet you, Sai. I hope that in the future we can be friends."

"I would like that," escaped his lips without his notice. His eyes moved back to her brightening eyes, noticing the way the light within them grew until they appeared to be flooding with happiness. He liked that look; he hoped that it never left her eye as long as he stood in front of her—but, as his eyes moved lower, he found he liked her smile even better.

"Great," Kagome said. She smiled at him, and noticed that his lips tilted upward just slightly. She could tell that he was a shinobi, it was obvious from the way he was dressed, but that did not matter to her. She was more concerned with the fact that he only slightly tilted his lips, giving her a small, awkward smile as if he did not know how to show the look in return. It did not bother her, though, because she could smile for him, and maybe someday she could teach him to smile at her in return, since she had a feeling that he had just become a permanent piece of her life.

And, if she remembered correctly, her feelings were usually right.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ I can officially say that I am _finally_ getting around to all the requests I've been getting! I want to apologize to anyone that I've made wait for so long, but I usually have a lot of ideas of my own without any help needed. However, my teacher today told me that we were supposed to write a short story, and I had the itch to write something that I've been putting off, and this is it, since I'm not very familiar with Sai. I do hope that I didn't butcher his character, but I like the way it turned out either way, so I'm not complaining.

_Kiba_


	51. For An Eternity: Naraku

_**Title:** For An Eternity_

_**Summary:** A mysterious boy shows up at Kagome's home, but he holds a deep secret that not even Kagome would have guessed._

**Pairing:** Naraku/Kagome

**Anime:** Inuyasha (IY)

* * *

_I love you._

_I have loved you for an eternity, and I shall always love you._

_I do not understand why you could not see the way that I gazed at you across the battlefield, silently cursing you for your strange hold over me. But, little miko, I do not hold you responsible for that, because you could never understand how much I love you. No, you could never understand because at the time you were hanging on every word that came from that foolish puppy's mouth—and I do not blame you for that either, because you could not stop your heart from loving, just as I cannot._

_You still do not know how much I love you, how much I crave your touch again. For I still do, and I always will as long as you plague my thoughts and walk by me without ever knowing who I was. Call it obsession, but I know in my heart that it is more than that—I truly love you, little miko._

_I have come to understand just how much I do, how much I did as I watched you through the mirror of my incarnation. I understand because now I am like you—human, and though I am much weaker physically I see how much stronger I am in other ways. My love for you is one of those, and I thank you for that with all my heart, because no matter how much my life may change, I shall always have you._

_Always, little miko, because you have _never_ left me alone._

* * *

"Mama, I'm home!"

Higurashi-san perked up from her tea, glancing at the door as the call came through the house. She glanced again at the young man sitting across from her, and smiled, "That's Kagome now."

"I thought you said Kagome-chan was sick, Higurashi-san," the young man stated his question.

Higurashi-san forced down her flinch. "I must have forgotten that she wanted to leave the house for some fresh air today, that's all. Forgive me for my mistake."

"Of course," the young man smiled.

Higurashi-san smiled back, happy to know that her daughter had such a bright, charming young man looking out for her health and education on this side of the well. She had always thought that Hojo was a nice young boy, but the one sitting across from her seemed so much more fitting for her daughter when her journey was over. She was not fool, she could see the way the boy's eyes lit up whenever she simply said Kagome's name, and she was happy that even if her daughter did not know it, someone loved her more than Inuyasha ever seemed to.

"Hey, Kagome!" another voice called out from outside. "There's this really cool looking guy waiting inside for you or something. Why didn't you ever tell me that you knew him, he's so much cooler than that lame Hojo that's always coming around here?"

"Souta!" Kagome's voice rose. "You shouldn't say things like that about other people, it's not nice."

"It's true though," Souta's voice mocked back as Kagome opened the door.

"Brat," Kagome huffed as she shut the door behind her. She quickly pulled her shoes off and tossed them beside the others sitting next to the door, before moving toward the livingroom. However, as she closed her eyes, she entered the room, and said, "Mama, I'm going to need—"

"Kagome," Higurashi-san stopped her before she could ask for something odd. However, she did not notice the way the young man's eyes flickered a bit at the tone, since she was sure that he had not heard the slight difference.

Kagome opened her eyes, blinking in surprise when she noticed the boy sitting across from her mother. She had been positive that Souta was joking, but it appeared that he had been telling the truth, and perhaps trying to warn her against saying anything odd—an example would be the thirty cups of ramen she was about to ask for. "Oh, hello," she smiled.

"Kagome-san," he said softly, his voice drawing out each syllable of her name as if trying to taste each and every one. He knew that Higurashi-san had caught the change in suffix he had given her daughter, but it did not matter, since she would most likely assume it was out of respect.

Kagome blinked, before asking, "Do I know you?"

He reached up in order to gently push his thin-rimmed glasses a bit more up his nose, the lighting shifting in order to show off his deep hazel eyes. "I would certainly hope so," he laughed a bit at his joke, "since we're in the same class."

"You," she began, the next words catching in her throat for a moment, "are?"

"Yes, I sit three seats behind you in most of the classes we have together," he said. "Though, I supposed that it is natural that you would not remember my name, since you do not seem to pay attention much to presentations I give." He stopped for a moment, his soft smile enhancing his youthful features. "My name is Takahashi Yuuta."

She seemed to be unable to speak for a moment, wondering why her heart was beginning to pound at the sight of his handsome face. Now that she thought about it, she did know him, but she had never associated herself with him, since he belonged to an entirely different group of friends. He was very intelligent, and she had often heard girls sighing over his somewhat untidy hair and his pretty eyes that they often said looked a bit red in a certain lighting. "Oh, Takahashi-kun," she whispered, "I didn't expect for you to know where I lived."

Yuuta smiled, "Aoki-sensei gave me the address when I asked if I could bring you the homework you are missing." His smile stretched a bit, as he continued, "I thought that perhaps you might like some help, since you are falling behind a bit in Algebra."

Higurashi-san smiled, "That's very kind of you, Takahashi-kun."

"Think nothing of it, Higurashi-san," he replied. "I would be very happy to help your daughter with anything that she is finding too hard to comprehend after so many days away from school. And I'm sure that if there are any days that I am not able to get here that I could find someone in order to take my place."

Kagome frowned, wondering why he was offering such help to her so willingly. He was considered brilliant and untouchable by Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi, and always seemed so distant and alone. She really could not understand, or think of any reason, why he might decide suddenly to pull himself away from the isolated life he seemed to live in order to assist her. "There's really no reason for you to take time out of your life for me, Takahashi-kun," she mumbled. "Ayumi and Eri give me their notes whenever I'm at school, and I do understand it after a little studying by myself."

"Ah, but notes are not nearly as helpful as another person who understands the material, _and_ is already learning the new material as well," Yuuta argued. There was a slight bit of laughter in his voice, making the deep, yet almost musical, sound seem lighter. "After all, then you could keep up on a daily basis, instead of having to study so hard only to find yourself falling behind once more."

"That's very true, Kagome," Higurashi-san said, smiling. "I think you should accept this young man's offer. Then you wouldn't have to worry so much about schoolwork while you're home."

"But—" Kagome began.

Higurashi-san continued to smile, ignoring the argument she knew her daughter was about to begin making. After all, the young man before her had been nothing but respectful and polite, and she liked him. It was an added bonus that he just happened to like her daughter, and he lived where she could simply pick up the phone and call instead of waiting forever, wondering if she was even alive. "I would be very happy if you were to help Kagome, Takahashi-kun. She needs a little bit of company once in a while," she hinted.

He tilted his glasses slightly using his fingers, saying, "I believe everyone does every now and then. Some more than others, but it is a natural human desire to wish for other human companionship."

"Mama," Kagome protested. Surely her mother would not do this, since Inuyasha would have a fit, which meant that she would be the one yelled at until she snapped and shouted back a nice, furious 'sit'. Her mother knew that they were looking for the last few shards that Naraku had hidden away before his death, three of which they had miraculously stumbled across by accident. She was not even sure they would have noticed them if it was not for the fact that she always seemed to _bump_ into the barriers.

Higurashi-san found it absolutely delightful that this boy not only enjoyed her daughter's company, but was also very intelligent. He reminded her a bit of her late husband, who had also been quite bright, but stumbled over romance until they stood beneath the Goshinbuko. So, she gave her daughter a small, knowing look, and decided that it would be good for her, no matter how much she protested. "Hush, Kagome," she said, "it will be good for you to spend some more time with people from your school."

"But, I have to—"

"That's enough now, Kagome," Higurashi-san said, her voice signaling the argument was over. "You're being rude to this young man who has been gracious enough to offer his assistance with the schoolwork you're always complaining about. I think you should apologize and walk him to the shrine steps," her face brightened, "unless, you'd like to stay for dinner, Takahashi-kun?"

Yuuta tilted his head a bit, "I'm afraid I cannot, Higurashi-san. My mother is preparing something special for my father tonight, and she told me to look sharp and ready by seven."

"Well, maybe some other time then," Higurashi-san smiled.

Yuuta stood from his seat, and dipped his head, saying, "Yes, I would like that. I'm sure that my mother wouldn't object." He laughed a bit suddenly, humor shining in his eyes. "She'll be delighted to know I'm spending time with someone, especially once I tell her it's a girl. She has a tendency to think I'm going to get married as soon as I finish school."

Higurashi-san smiled, "She sounds like someone I would like to meet."

"I'm sure she would like to meet you as well, Higurashi-san," he replied. "Especially once she finds out that you have a wonderful and intelligent daughter."

Higurashi-san cast her eyes toward her daughter, noticing that a blush was powdering her face. However, she was very interested in Yuuta's mother, since she was positive that in some way she would be able to relate with her and become friends. A plus would be when she took Kagome over to their place, and Yuuta's mother came to theirs with him, thus giving them more and more time together. She was positive that he liked her daughter, and she had a feeling that he would be able to charm her in his own special way.

"Till we meet again, Higurashi-san," Yuuta bowed, turning on his heel slightly. He heard her reply, but held his arm out for her daughter. "May we, Kagome-san?"

"Ah," Kagome blinked, looking down at the arm he held out. She felt the need to wrap hers around it, but decided against it as she turned away. "This way," she said finally, pointing toward the door. Then, she began to walk, and quickly put her shoes back on when she stopped by the door, before opening the door with a small click.

Yuuta followed, his eyes staring at the long strands that fell down her back. It had not been long since he had gazed at her in a similar way, trying to tear his eyes away as he told himself that soon, _soon_ he would tell her his secret. Soon, _soon_ he would steal her heart out from underneath her nose, and she would understand what he had felt time and again. She would understand what he saw behind his eyes at night, how much he had dreamed and imagined her skin sliding against him in any way since before he could remember.

Kagome stopped once away from the house, knowing that her mother was probably standing in the window watching them. She sighed, since Takahashi Yuuta was a very handsome boy, and her mother was probably erasing puppy-eared grandchildren—which she should have done some time ago—from her memory and replacing it with those with pretty faces and hazel eyes. She would never understand her mother's obsession with such things, but she was positive that there was nothing that Yuuta would find in common with her, and nothing but happen between them. Especially when she had such an unordinary life that no one knew about and she hoped to never have to explain to those who would think she was crazy.

"Kagome-chan…"

Kagome stiffened, turning toward him as his voice washed over her. She did not know why his voice made her shiver, wondering if something was suddenly going to strive out at her. His voice was so calm and controlled, and his eyes shined as they stared at her, yet she felt that she should be cautious, no matter how much she wanted to think he could never harm her.

"Kagome-chan, are you all right?" he asked. He moved his eyes, and knew that she had caught him looking toward the wooden structure over to the side when she nervously cast her eyes toward it. "You seem tense."

"Um," Kagome began. She really did not know what to say when she felt _odd_, or when he had listened as her mother put her foot down, no matter how hard it was already to keep the secret she held. So, she decided to try and change the subject, "Thanks for bringing my schoolwork over, I really appreciate it… though, Eri or Ayumi would have brought it once I asked."

"It was nothing—" he paused, "—merely a slight change in my schedule."

"You _really_ don't need to… tutor me if you have other things you wish to do," Kagome replied. "I'd understand completely if you change your mind. Besides, I'm sure that I'd get it eventually, since my friends give me their notes when they bring my stuff from school."

He shook his head, "It is not a hindrance, or I would not choose to do it, Kagome-chan." His hair fell slightly into his face, touching the top of his glasses as he leaned closer to her. If only she knew how he felt, how much he wished to simply run his hands over her shoulders and through her hair as he had done once—but that seemed now like a dark, cruel, and taunting dream.

"But, you really don't need—"

"Is there something you don't want me to find out?" he asked. "Is that it, Kagome-chan? Are you hiding something that you don't want anyone other than your family to find out? After all, I'm not a fool, and—"

Kagome stiffened a bit more, wondering why his eyes seemed to look a bit redder.

"—I do not think that you are really sick," he continued. He cast his eyes down her body, "Only a fool would not see how healthy you actually are."

"It's only a minor co—" Kagome was cut off.

"Don't try to fool me, Kagome-chan," Yuuta said. "I know something about you, and I know that you are not sick. But, you don't know that I know—"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Kagome yelled.

Yuuta's eyes lightened in color, and he smiled softly. "You don't know how beautiful you really are, little miko." He stepped forward a bit, his hand reaching out and grabbing her arm before she was able to move away.

His aura swarmed around her, much more docile than she remembered it, but nearly the same as it had been the final time she had felt it. It was so natural now, so _human_, that she had never noticed it, but now she _knew_. She tensed, feeling his face brush against hers, the cold metal of his glasses touching her face just a bit. "N-N-Naraku," she whispered.

He chuckled, "No, no, no, Kagome-chan."

"I'm not a _fool_," she snapped at him, throwing his words back into his face.

"Can't you feel the difference?" he asked. "Do you not feel that the taint you felt before is now gone?"

"I—" she whimpered. "Na-Naraku…"

"I am human, Kagome-chan," he continued. "I have been human since I was born, sixteen years ago."

"T-Then, who are you?" she asked.

He moved away, his eyes shining as he stared at her. "I'm Takahashi Yuuta, one of the most intelligent students in our school. But, the more important question is who you are, Kagome-chan."

"I—"

He hushed her, putting his hand against her lips, and remembering the feel of them touching his as she purified the body his soul had once housed. "You are the girl that has never left me alone," he whispered. "You have constantly been in my thoughts, since before I can remember. You've haunted me, and I hated you and loved you because of it. You are the only constant in my life, and you will always be there." His eyes flashed, "And I will not lose to that foolish puppy, Kagome-chan."

Kagome allowed her purifying power to rise, allowing it to brush upon his skin. However, he merely laughed, chuckling about how it tingled, and she _knew_. "How?" she asked.

"Ah, Kagome-chan," he began, "reincarnation is an amazing thing, but not everything can be erased. Because you are written so deeply into my soul that I know that I will love you for an eternity."

He released her, and Kagome stood there until finally she slumped to the ground. She knew that he was human, she did, but it was horrifying to think and _know_ that Naraku had been allowed to come back to the land of the living, and _knew_ that he looked at her in such a light. She _knew_, and it was horrifying to know that she was defenseless against him now that her miko abilities could not harm him.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ I had planned to have this out on All Hallows Eve, but things didn't work out as I had planned. One, my friend (who can't stop being a kid) wanted me to put on my costume and go trick-or-treating with her (I followed her around and got candy occasionally). Two, I had to do a couple of things the day after Halloween, like homework. But, I have finally gotten this one done, and I might add more to it later, just as I might add more to "Siren's Call" eventually. But, I must go, and I hope that everyone had a Happy Halloween.

_Kiba_


	52. Mistakes: Koenma

_**Title:** Mistakes_

_**Summary:** She hadn't understood and she'd gotten her soul locked away, her body in suspended animation until she was saved. However, because of her mistake Koenma has no choice but to punish her._

**Pairing:** Koenma/Kagome

**Anime:** YYH/IY

* * *

Her head bowed, a sad smile forming onto her lips, "I didn't understand."

Koenma frowned at the answer, folding his hands as he crossed his long, teenage legs. Closing his eyes, he sighed, "I'm afraid that does not answer the question I asked, Kagome-san."

Her smile lingered, even though a single, crystal blue tear fell from her glittering blue eyes. "Actually," she said softly, "that is the only answer I can give you. I didn't understand the truth behind the Shikon no Tama, and because of that I failed as its protector."

She looked like such a lonely girl, lost and confused in the world she once knew so well. Koenma was not quite sure why his father wished to toy with her life more than he already had in order to keep the balance of life in order. They had watched her divine soul since before he could remember, but the records of her travels had been lost to the ages and no one had expected her to fail.

"Please," he said, "tell me what happened, Kagome-san."

"I held the Shikon no Tama in my hand," she began, "because Inuyasha had told me that he didn't want it any longer, that he was fine the way he was. I remember staring at it, trying to think of a wish that would cause the jewel to leave the world so that no more innocent lives would be harmed by its pull. The others had crowded around me, and I know they all thought that I would be able to pick a pure wish, one that would cause the jewel to disappear. But, I didn't, I chose an impure wish."

"What did you wish for?" he asked softly. Seeing her this way after so many years of seeing her smile, of watching her glimmer in happiness, was hard.

"I wished that that everyone ever harmed by Naraku would get a second chance at happiness," she whispered.

Koenma had a feeling he knew where this was going. "Please continue."

"Once I made the wish, I heard Midoriko's soul scream echo as if it had touched my soul, while the demon trapped inside the Shikon with her laughed. I heard her screaming that she had thought I knew what to wish for after everything I'd been through, but that she didn't blame me, because anyone could have made such a mistake. But, as quickly as I heard her, she was gone, and I looked around to find that Kikyo, Kohaku, Kagura, Kanna, Hakudoushi, and many of Naraku's other incarnations had been revived around us.

"Kagura was grateful to be free, but she flew off as soon as she stated that she would no longer have anything to do with us—I'm not sure where she went. Kanna looked confused, before stepping up to Kikyo's side, saying that she would serve her as she had served her last master. Hakudoushi looked angry, but said that if I ever needed him he would come to my aid until he had repaid for his life, but then he disappeared into the forest as well. Kikyo gave her a look that said she was disappointed in me, and Kohaku was simply hugging his sister."

Kagome sighed, "I'm not sure where the other incarnations vanished to, but I'm sure that they caused havoc as every other evil being hurt by Naraku did. I don't remember everything, because after I had glanced at Inuyasha—he had gone to Kikyo's side—I felt like I was beginning to freeze up, as if I couldn't move anything. And then everything went black for a while, apparently centuries, before your detectives found me inside Midoriko's cave."

"I see," Koenma said. "It was because of that wish that so many wars broke out within the demon society, and why a century later it was decided to split the Makai away from the Ningenkai." He frowned, clasping his hands together in front of his face while his elbows rested on his desk. "I'm afraid that though the split has been almost completely affective, your wish caused mass death among demons. It also broke the peace that had settled within most of the human populations, which eventually caused revolts and those events eventually made the world we now live in. But, I'm afraid that such a wish was still dangerous, and my father has demanded punishment."

"I understand," she said. "But, may I ask a question?"

"Of course," Koenma nodded.

"Are any of the demons I knew still alive?" Kagome asked. "I'm sure that you know who they are, you knew mostly everything about me when I came in here."

"Unfortunately most of the records concerning your travels were lost, I am not aware of the demons you're speaking of," Koenma replied. "Though, Yusuke was a bit reluctant to tell me that a white-haired demon named Hakudoushi had beaten him until they explained that they would be reviving you from your sleep. Apparently he has been watching over the cave you were resting within in order to make sure that you were not harmed before awakening."

She smiled, "I see. I'm glad; he was a lot of help once he decided that he wished to kill Naraku as much as we did. I think he would have died much sooner if we hadn't stopped Naraku from absorbing him back into his body. I'm happy, though, that he's become so strong."

"Yes, I believe he has been ranked as an upper A class demon," Koenma sighed. It would not be good to have such a demon against him. He supposed that the punishment he would have to settle on her shoulders was enough to bring out the sadistic demons rage, but not enough to have him torture him to death. Then again, though he had kept track of the demons progression, he supposed that even Hakudoushi would not be able to stand up to his father's SDF—but he did not wish for the situation to come to that.

"Do you know of Shippo?" she asked quietly. "Or Sesshoumaru? Kouga, even? I have a feeling that Inuyasha spent his life happy with the love of his life, before he finally died knowing that he would get to rest with her."

Koenma knew those names quite well. "The hanyou Inuyasha did die some two hundred years ago, and he was happy to be reunited with his lover. I believe they were being scheduled for reincarnation some time ago, but my father was taking care of the event.

"Shippo is a general to Lord Sesshoumaru's army. I hear he is quite skilled, and has grown to be a fine demon, though he is still prone to using tricks. I believe he has been ranked as an upper B class demon.

"Lord Sesshoumaru owns the land that his father acquired long ago, and he does not take part in most other affairs in the Makai since the world was split. However, I believe that word has spread of him forming an alliance with Mukuro," Koenma shuddered a bit, "He comes in to see my father once in a while concerning the Makai, but I try not to get in his way."

"And what class is he?" Kagome asked out of curiosity.

"An S class," he replied instantly. "Kouga is also an upper A class, and if my information is correct he has mated with the wolf demon Ayame, thus uniting his tribe with the Northern Wolves."

"Well, at least they're still alright," she smiled. "I'm happy for them. Especially Kouga and Ayame, since they deserve to be happy, instead of constantly trying to gain the affections of someone who doesn't want them."

Koenma frowned, remembering when the girl had been sweet and innocent before she had been dragged down the well on her family's shrine. His father had watched her for years, allowing him to watch and wait with him, wondering when the exact moment she would go into the past would be. Now, she seemed so much wiser and older after going through the greatest trial of her life, but it was only just the beginning. His father demanded that she be punished because she had been the cause, another piece of information lost to the ages, and even if he did not wish to be the one to give it out, he knew that he could not go against the Mighty Enma.

"They deserve to be happy," she repeated, smiling to herself.

He almost felt like asking why she sounded like she was saying _she_ did not deserve happiness. However, he crushed the question down before they could pour from his mouth, and gave another sigh. "Kagome-san, I believe that it is time that we discuss your punishment," he said. It would be better to get it over with quickly, rather than wondering what other insane thoughts could force their way into his mind because of the woman before him.

"I understand," she nodded.

"My father has placed his foot down, and your punishment will be to protect the worlds that you forced into separation. You will be directly linked with the barrier that separates them, and _you_ will be the one to decide who crosses from that moment on. Should any demon managed to slip by your power, you will be sent out along with my detectives in order to eliminate the threat." Koenma almost flinched as he continued, "In addition, your sentence will require you to severe all ties with the family that you knew in this time period. You are to say your goodbyes, and willingly allow them to have their memories of you erased, or you will be executed on the spot. You will live your life in a somewhat peaceful here in the Reikai—my father has already had the room prepared."

She visibly stiffened at his words, and then raised her eyes to catch sight of his soft hazel ones. He seemed to be apologizing in a silent way, but the sting that was left behind would not leave. However, it was her punishment, and she knew she deserved it, no matter how much she did not wish to give up her mother, her brother, or her grandfather.

"However," Koenma coughed, "I could have it scheduled for their memories to resurface when they die, allowing you to seek their company before they are selected for reincarnation."

"No," she whispered softly.

Koenma looked startled, "What?"

"No," she said again. "I will not force them to forget me, and then remember me when they die. It would not be fair to them to never know I existed, and then have it all rush back once they are here. I know that they would never resent me for doing it, they would all understand, but I won't force that on them. I will live on, even if they don't know me anymore."

His heart felt like it was being tugged painfully toward his ribcage, beating in such a way that it physically pained him to listen to her words. He hoped that in time her demeanor would return to what he had remembered it being, but he knew that that would most likely not happen. She would continue the way she was, but perhaps in time he could tug a bit of her previous emotions from her, making her happier. There had to be something that he, as Prince of Reikai, could do for her.

"It was my mistake," she said, a tear streaking down her cheek, "they do not need to share my pain with me. I will take my punishment, but I will not force it upon anyone else."

Koenma turned his eyes from her, unsure of what to say. If he had not watched her for so long he might have questioned her willingness to give up everything, but he had, and he had often been amazed by her selflessness. She was an amazing human, one with a bright soul that deserved to be free rather than caged. "Perhaps," Koenma coughed, "you would like to see some of the Reikai beforehand. I could show you some of the places that you could go, since you will not be restricted to this one place. My father may not like it, but as long as you stay within the Reikai I'm sure…"

"Thank you," she smiled.

"I'm afraid I don't—"

"I made a terrible mistake," she said, "but I'm glad that I will have someone who might become my friend."

Koenma nodded, watching as her lips stretched into a smile once more. It was the expression he had been accustomed to seeing before her final trip into the past, and he wished to see more. She might think that she had made a grave mistake, but though the worlds had been split, now that her power would be added to the barrier, he was positive that in some way the worlds would be at peace for some time. She was going to make her mistake positive, and he was sure that in time she would be able to see it—and, he would wait to see that moment, because he was positive she would smile as she once did.

_--Fin_


	53. For a Moment: Kohaku

**_KibaSin:_** Unfortunately I won't be able to update this set of one-shots after this until I can get my laptop fixed. I accidentally broke it and I still need to take it in, though I keep telling myself to simply do it.

_Kiba_

**_

* * *

_**

_**Title:** For a Moment_

_**Summary:**__ She decided that for a single moment she would allow him to believe whatever he wanted, because he needed her and she needed him._

**Pairing:** Kohaku/Kagome

**Anime:** Inuyasha (IY)

* * *

"No," she whispered, placing her hand against the rock that had blocked her path from escaping. "No," she said again, her voice echoing a bit louder. Then, with a cry, she shouted, "No, Inuyasha!"

She could not believe this was happening. She was trapped, alone—isolated from the outside world until her friends managed to dig her out or she found another exit. She could feel the draft from the other direction, it was obvious there was some type of opening, but that left her no hope. She was _alone_, and there was no telling how much time it would take before Inuyasha would give up some crazed idea of blowing the entrance away to come up with a good idea—there was also no telling how far away the other exit was.

Leaning back, she looked upward, whimpering slightly as the realization of her situation settled down onto her shoulders. She hated being alone, she tried to avoid it at all costs, yet she had gotten herself thrown into this cave—or series of tunnels—and stuck by herself. To make it even worse, she had nothing to help her survive except her bow, and she doubted that it would do any good against a none-demonic creature, if one lived inside this place. In fact, she did not have any arrows, either, which meant that it would do no good at all, even if she did manage to find demons lurking in the depths of her new quarters.

Another whimper caught in her throat, as she turned her head just enough to gaze at the unforgiving wall to her left and then turned it to her right. It was so dark—so _cold_—and she knew that it would be relentless in the punishment it would give her. The very walls out leak in satisfaction when finally her friends came to retrieve her, only for them to find her huddled somewhere distant from the entrance and whining about the blackness crowding in on her senses. The darkness would suffocate her—lock her in its sticky web and feed from the fright that mere loneliness caused her. And that loneliness would also be relentless in its search as it pushed against her skin, sinking in her muscles, her bones—her _very_ core to torment her.

Sinking to her knees, she wondered how she was going to cope when she had nothing but the clothes on her back and the bow in her grasp to help her through the hours, the night, or however long it took the others to find a way to help her. It was so dark, so very dark, and there was no telling how far she would have to walk, how many walls she would run into, before she managed to find the other exit. The _other_ exit—she was not even sure if she wished to find it, since the exit could be small enough to let oxygen in, but no creature her size out. It would be useless in that instance, and she would have to feel along the walls for her way back, and there was no way of knowing if she ever took a wrong turn.

_Inuyasha_, she whispered to herself, feeling tears gather along her eyelids. Her hands pressed against the cold ground beneath her, when another thought hit her in the face. She _should_ be able to hear Inuyasha's yelling—for there was no doubt he was—on the other side of the rock that had imprisoned her, yet she could hear nothing. _Nothing_, and she was positive that was an _extremely_ bad sign, because she knew how loud Inuyasha got, and she knew that she _should_ be able to hear him shouting her name. That meant that they were either trying to find the other entrance, or the rock was so think that possibly not even Tetsusaiga could break it without harming someone or something.

Her mind whirled, because if they had gone in search of another entrance, then she should be searching for it as well. However, that left her in a state of indecision, since there was no way for her to determine how many small holes allowed air in through the tunnels or from deep within the cave. Her friends could find a number of them, and she could find the rest, never truly meeting up in one spot, thus trapping her longer and longer and causing her mind to go into panic, desperate to be saved. At that point, she was sure that she would even make a deal with Naraku in order to escape the hellish place that she had found herself.

Plus, there were the other dangers to consider as well. Demons and wild animals, pits and slopes, and so many other things that could cause her bodily harm could be waiting, silently laughing at her to come and face them from deep within the cavern. So many things, since it was true that the human body was weak and could die of so many things that it bordered on ridiculous—

A soft groan caused her back to straighten, and her eyes to dart to the left, hoping for a single moment that her sight could pierce the darkness. It had been faint, but loud enough that her ear had picked up on it, and she wondered exactly where it had come from. It was hard to determine, the sound had echoed from the walls, almost as if they were mocking her with the possibility of harm—_or_, she dared not hope on it, companionship of some kind. She forced down her breathing when she realized that it was beginning to come out faster, her heart thumping wildly against her chest in that instant, and the noise might thrill the creature, especially if it was a demon, into a hunt.

At the moment, she did not feel like becoming prey—or a demon's lunch.

Another small sound entered her ears, and she allowed her eyes to dart the other way when she heard it. Something had scraped against the side of the cave, whether it was scales, claws, or a type of thick leather. Only one of those things she knew would have a slight possibility of her life being spared, and with the shards around her neck, she knew that slight possibility would drop. Hopefully, though, her chance would not become nonexistent, since she had a chance to deter a _human's_ attention from the temptation the shards would no doubt bring. They were such wicked little things, almost even worse than the walls that wished to bury the sense of isolation into her flesh.

"Sssaa," came a soft voice.

Her back tensed even more, but a single moment went by where she could have sworn she had heard the tone of voice before. However, she knew that there was a chance it had been from a demon's throat, not a human's, or even a humanoid demon's, mouth. So, she shoved down the bit of hope that rose in her heart, which wished nothing more than to believe that she _did_ know the tone of voice and she was not as alone as she originally believed.

"San," the voice hushed for a moment, "_go_."

Her entire head snapped to the side, searching the darkness for the voice she _knew_ she knew. She had heard it before calling out the same name, and each time she had felt anger toward the hanyou that brought the suffering boy back from the dead. His sister had survived because of her strong will to live, but his had had to be revived through the means of the Shikon. As she searched, she forced her emotions to calm, allowing her eyes to look for the small pink light that she knew would be in the cave with her if it was truly him. A moment later, she almost sighed in relief when she spotted it, the small light glittering innocently in the darkness.

"_San_… go," he called again.

"Kohaku," she called back. She did not rise, instead deciding to move toward him at a slower pace on her hands and knees—the boy was not that far away in the first place. In her heart she knew she also did it because of the time Naraku had grabbed hold of his mind, manipulating his body into attacking her over and over again, waiting for the moment to strike her with his sickle and end her life. With his taijiya history, it would not be surprising if he had his weapon on him, and being closer to the ground might help her, since it helped muffle her movements and might allow her for a quicker escape from his attacks.

She heard him shift and knew he did so when the light in his back moved only slightly. From the movement she determined that he had turned toward her voice, but the sound of his breathing, and a small thump, made her wonder if he was awake or calling out in his sleep. Then, she heard him call out softly, "Who's there?" She wondered at the sound of his voice, because it seemed so soft and innocent that she could not help but think that he was not meant for killing.

"It's me," she said back. "You remember, don't you?"

Kohaku shifted again in the dark, "_Sango_?"

"No," she muttered softly, "I'm Kagome."

It did not appear to hear her, because a moment later, he repeated his question again. His sister's name seemed to be the only one he could remember, because she tried to tell him of their companions, remind him of the things he should know, but he only asked for his sister. He only asked for the strong, iron-willed woman that carried the Hiraikotsu on her back, and kept a demon at her side as her companion. He asked only for her, and Kagome bit her lip when she realized how much he had slipped away—but she supposed that was not so surprising, since Naraku had brought him back from the dead.

She moved closer to him, making sure to make her touch gentle when she touched his arm with her hand. He shifted closer to her, his head falling to the side and landing on her shoulder before she could protest. His own hand grabbed onto her sleeve, before he pressed himself closer still, his cheek rubbing against her shoulder and lower, as if he wished to bury himself inside her and never leave. However, though a blush lit up her cheeks, she knew that Kohaku was much like her own younger brother and she should not read much into his actions for seeking comfort.

"Kohaku," she asked, "are you injured?"

"No," he whispered. "I'm fine, Sango."

The feel of his hand brushing over her breast and up into her hair caused her to still, but the young taijiya was undeterred as he pulled her hair over her shoulder and closer to him. His fingers laced through the strands, holding them tightly in his hand, almost like he thought they would help him in whatever way he needed them to. The sound of his sister's name falling from his lips told her that the move was unromantic, but the feel of his male form pressing against her caused her cursed hormones to fire into life. And though she hated the fact that her hormones could not give her a moment's break, she reached up to push her fingers through his hair and pull his head closer to her body.

A small smile twitched on her lips when she felt him snuggle closer to her still, as if he did _truly_ wish to merge together with her. However, as her hand gently swept over his head, she wondered at the fact that Kohaku so obviously remembered his sister. The last time she remembered him beginning to remember her relationship with him, the boy had suddenly been forced under Naraku's control and, from what she knew, did not come to remember he was related to her. She knew that in someway Naraku had suppressed his memories of killing his family members and his clansmen, but why was he so calm and peaceful inside this cave?

"Please," Kohaku said, sounding quite frightened when she shifted against the cold cave wall. "Please, don't leave me, Sango."

Her movements halted, and she patted his head again with her hand. She remembered when Souta used to crawl into her bed at night and ask her to simply hold him because a storm was going on, or he had had a nightmare. The memories were fresh in her mind, causing her to pull his head into her neck, while she replied, "I won't."

"Promise?" Kohaku asked, his voice muffled.

"I promise," Kagome nodded. "I promise I won't leave you, Kohaku."

Kohaku snuggled into her neck using his nose, before he whispered, "I love you, Sango."

Kagome pulled him a bit closer, feeling the remaining bit of loneliness flee from her system as she focused her attention on him. Kohaku sounded so lonely at first, but it appeared that the knowledge that his 'sister' was there made him much, much happier. He needed her, and at the moment she needed him in order to keep the fright from coming back to her until the others came. She knew there was a chance that Naraku could suddenly gain control of his mind, but the little boy inside of him needed her more than she worried over Naraku's cruel treatment. "I promise," she said once more, her voice stern.

"Thank you," Kohaku mumbled.

Kagome remained still, remembering the moments that her little brother had needed her. Now, Kohaku needed her, whether it was as Kagome or as Sango, and she was going to give him the moment that he needed. She was going to give him the bit of peace that he asked for in the cruel, demented life he found himself now living. She did not wish to unravel the bit of hope he had twisted between his fingers, so she would remain with him until the others came. Hopefully, though, that would not be too long, since even though Kohaku and her now had each other, without food or water they would not be able to last very long on comfort.

_--Fin_


	54. Blind Truth: Uzumaki Naruto

_**Title:**__ Blind Truth_

_**Summary:**__ They had been inseparable since she had been discovered and saved from certain death. However, what they shared was ignored, until the first snow of winter began to fall._

**Pairing:** Naruto/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

"Naruto-kun!"

Naruto turned, his smile brightening when he realized who had called his name. He ignored his friends as he raised his hand and yelled back, "Kagome-chan!"

The black haired woman raced toward the blonde, a large smile plastered onto her face. Her feet picked up the pace when he noticed her presence, while her heart fluttered softly. She ignored the feeling, though, because he had become her truest and greatest friend since she found herself within Konohagakure, and she did not wish to ruin such a friendship. "Naruto-kun, I'm so happy you're alright," she breathed once she stopped in front of him.

Naruto's smile widened, his hand flattening on his vest, over his heart. "No need to fear, Kagome-chan, I powerful shinobi such as myself would never let a B-ranked mission stop me from coming home," he declared. "After all, I wouldn't be able to become Hokage someday if I let a little mission scare me away!"

Kagome nodded in agreement. However, she frowned a bit when she noticed the cut over his cheek, and reached out to touch it softly. "What happened to cause this, Naruto-kun?" she asked.

"Oh, it was nothin'," Naruto grinned. "Some Iwa-shinobi jumped Sasuke-teme, so I had to go save him—"

Said Uchiha made a small sound in the back of his throat.

"—One of them caught me off guard was all," Naruto continued. "He threw a kunai, and it nicked me a bit, but it's nothin' to worry about. I was too busy trying to get the other four off Sasuke-teme to notice him, but Sakura-chan gave him a nice punch to the face for me."

Sakura sighed, "Sasuke-_kun_ could have protected himself, Naruto. You didn't need to go jumping in there like you were suddenly going to be the hero. It was rash and stupid, but I have to admit…" Sakura decided not to finish because of the way Naruto was gazing at her. He looked like a puppy just waiting for his master's appraisal, and though she cared for him, she was not going to inflate his ego.

Kagome grazed her hand over the small mark once more, and smiled when it was gone the next instant. Sasuke and Sakura were used to her strange skills in healing, so she was not surprised when they ignored the small occurrence. However, she smiled at them, since they were the ones that Naruto often leaned on, and the ones that usually brought him home. "I'm just glad you're alright," she said.

"Well, you don't need to worry about that, Kagome-chan," Naruto chuckled. "No way some weak Iwa-shinobi are going to get the best of me."

Kagome nodded, but wished silently that she could go with them on their missions. However, Tsunade-sama had made it quite clear once she learned of her healing abilities, and watched her try to practice with Sasuke, that she would be needed at the hospital. They considered her a medic-nin, but Tsunade-sama refused to acknowledge the fact that others put _nin_ into the profession. Not to mention the fact that Tsunade-sama argued that Sakura was with them, and she was trained to be a medic-nin, so they did not need one that could not do more than strange jutsu.

"Don't worry, Kagome-chan, I'll protect the knucklehead from himself," Sakura sighed.

A blush spread over Kagome's face, and she mumbled, "Well, as Naruto-kun said, I'm sure that he can protect himself. There's certainly no reason for me to be concerned over a few cuts or bruises, especially ones that will heal within no time. I mean, he does have the added chakra of…"

"Enough," Sasuke said, glaring at her slightly.

Naruto glared back at him, "Hey, stop being so rude, Sasuke-teme!"

"Tch," the Uchiha replied. He turned his head, refusing to fall into one of Naruto's arguments over the girl once more. He knew that the dobe had a soft spot for her, even if he refused to admit it, because she had accepted him before and after she knew about what he was. However, Sasuke thought that it was ridiculous that his teammate simply did not acknowledge it, and refused to place any type of claim on her—he would have, but his first goal was not yet complete, and he knew that Naruto needed someone like her.

"Bastard," Naruto mumbled under his breath. "Always thinking he's better than everyone else."

Sakura smiled at the embarrassment that Kagome had shown. She stepped up at the girl's side, and stated, "So, Christmas is coming up soon. I'm sure that the others are planning on some type of party, and Naruto will drag you along."

"I know," Kagome smiled. "I've already got gifts for everyone—or, at least nearly everyone. I haven't quite decided what I'm going to get Sasuke-san or Neji-san. In fact, I was going to ask Hinata-chan what Neji-san might like when I saw you guys enter the gates."

"I still have to get everyone something," Sakura sighed, "but I know what I'm going to get Sasuke-kun!"

"Oh?" Kagome blinked. She knew that Sasuke had not shown interest in any female since she had formed a friendship with Naruto, though she suspected that something was ticking in his head each time his dark eyes turned toward her. However, she hoped Sakura luck when she was either accepted, or had to face the fact that Sasuke would not hold her heart in his hand the way she wanted him to. Until then, though, she hoped that the Uchiha would not be too rude.

"Oh, yes! I saw it just the other day, and I instantly knew that I have to get it," Sakura grinned. "I'm sure that it will be the thing that finally cracks the ice." However, though she said it, a part of her whispered that she needed to give up on Sasuke. Her crush had lasted so long, and she was sure that she loved him, but she was not sure how long she would be willing to wait for him. Just the other day she had been watching children play and wished to one day have her own, only to turn and think that Sasuke might never kill his brother, thus never have time to create a family.

"I'm sure that he'll love it, Sakura-chan," Kagome said. "But, then again, I should not try to determine anything about Sasuke-san. Even now he confuses and angers me."

Sakura bristled a bit, "You're starting to crush on Sasuke-kun?"

Kagome's shoulder dropped at the statement. She had sensed Sakura's sadness when she mentioned the ice cracking, but it was gone now that she thought she would have more competition for his heart. So, she shook her head, and replied, "No. I'm afraid that Sasuke-san is a bit too dark for my tastes. I understand the reason that he does what he does, but I am not the type to go looking for trouble—it usually falls on me, instead."

Sakura's tension eased, and she wished that she was not so quick to judge. However, Sasuke was something that she had always wanted for herself, and herself alone, and she was not sure if she could have won his heart if Kagome was chasing after it. Yes, she considered looking for love elsewhere, but the thought of Kagome jumping in and easily capturing his love with her kindness and understanding was _not_ something she wished to think about. Or ever see. "Sorry."

"It's alright, Sakura-chan." Kagome shook the statement away with ease. "I know what it's like to like someone, but never have them like you back."

Sakura blinked, and silently wondered to herself. _Do you, Kagome-chan_? But, Sakura supposed that she would never know, since the only one in the village to know her true story was Tsunade-sama. And the woman had been tight lipped on any subject concerning Higurashi Kagome and her past.

* * *

She nudged her companion, and asked, "Aren't they the cutest thing you've ever seen?"

The male simply sighed and returned to trying to rest his head on the table. He did not care if Ino considered anything cute or cuddly or fashionable, he merely wanted to lay back and do _nothing_. He knew, especially when knowing each and every personality of those around him, that it would only be a matter of time before something went wrong with this party. Until then, he did not want to care about anything, and he supposed that Ino would never understand that.

Ino scowled at him when he did not answer. "I swear, Shikamaru, you're getting lazier everyday. Why can't you be more like Sasuke-kun?"

"Who would want to be like a stuck-up Uchiha, Ino?" Shikamaru asked.

"Sasuke-kun's _not_ stuck-up!" Ino growled. "Take that back, Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru ignored her, deciding that allowing her to ramble on about how her precious Sasuke was not stuck-up was much better than arguing with her about it. It required less effort on his part, and he liked it better that way.

Ino, noticing that Shikamaru was not paying her any attention, returned her eyes to the pair moving about together. The girl was smiling up at the blonde at her side, and it was _so_ obvious that they had feelings for one another—it might even be _love_—but they refused to even notice it. Instead, Naruto decided to follow her around as he had been assigned originally, saying that he was fulfilling his duties as a good friend by escorting his female companion about the village. Oh, but there was so much more than that, Ino knew, and the underlying romance caused her to sigh in hope that one day she would find someone to love her _that_ much.

Preferably Sasuke—or someone a lot like him.

She turned to glare at Shikamaru once more, and thought, _and someone much, much different than his lazy ass_. Shikamaru might be considered a genius, and he might have been a big help with a lot of missions when they were genin, but she could not see herself with someone like him. _No_, it gave her chills to think of herself living with someone who would rather look at clouds than her—she did not try so hard in the morning to be submitted to that.

"How troublesome," Shikamaru muttered when he felt Ino's glare drilling into his head. Sometimes he wished that looks could kill, because then he would be long gone and no longer have a care in the world. He would be at peace until whatever happened, happened, and not have to worry about the next time he would have to listen to his old teammate complaining.

Ino rolled her eyes, watching as Kagome pointed something out and Naruto said something about it. The girl was obviously in love from the way that she giggled at the comment, trying to avoid the blonde's eyes afterward. The girl seemed to be a bit embarrassed, and it reminded Ino a bit of another one of her friends.

She frowned a bit, since she had always thought that Naruto would end up with Hinata, and they would live happily ever after. She supposed that Kiba would be all right for Hinata, even though she had always assumed they shared more of a siblings bond. She also supposed that she should be happy that it was Naruto that Kagome became attached to, instead of someone else—like Sasuke—since that meant that she would not become competition for her. Sakura was not much, and she would kick her into the background once Sasuke defeated his brother, but she was not sure how well she could have faired against someone like Kagome. The girl's sweet, innocent, yet mystery nature was something that drew men to her, and she would hate to see what would happen if she settled her sights onto Sasuke.

Ino already knew the outcome! Sasuke's heart would be ripped from his cold fingers, as they tried so hard to keep it hidden and locked away, and settled between Kagome's vicious fangs. The girl, if she had been the type, would never let such a rare treasure go, and Sasuke would do little to stop her once he was under her spell.

Shikamaru blinked, watching as Ino's face went from blissful to horrified. Then, she gave a small whimper, and he knew instantly that she was thinking of something that concerned her precious Uchiha Sasuke. There was no doubt in his mind, and Shikamaru was a genius who did not get those types of things wrong when it came to his old teammates.

* * *

He kicked his foot in the dirt, a small blush forming on his cheeks. She had already asked him if he was sick, and he had told her no, but the fluttering in his stomach made him wonder if he had been wrong in the evaluation of his body. "I wanted to ask you something, Kagome-chan," he finally stated.

Kagome looked up at him, a small frown forming on the edge of her lips. "You can ask me anything, Naruto-kun, you know that," she replied. She did not know what was wrong with him, but she hoped that the question he wished to ask would bring it out in the light. After all, she did not like it when her friend was ill, or down about something that he refused to talk about.

"Well, I already asked Hinata-chan, and Sakura-chan," Naruto sighed, "and a lot of the other girls, but…"

Kagome tilted her head a bit, and ignored the strange beat of her heart.

"…none of them are available to go with me to that Christmas party. They all have someone their going with—and I even tried to get Sasuke-teme to go with me, but the bastard refuses to go with anyone. And," Naruto scratched the back of his neck, "I was wondering if you would like to… you know?"

"You want me to go with you, Naruto-kun?" she asked. She felt the tension in her chest leave suddenly, happiness flooding into her body and tingling in its path.

"Yeah," Naruto nodded. "I mean, if no ones asked ya yet."

"I'd be happy to go with you, Naruto-kun," Kagome smiled.

Naruto grinned, "Ok. Thanks a lot, Kagome-chan! I'll make sure that your gift is the spectacular of them all because of this! And I won't take no for an answer, since you deserve it because of this!"

"I'm sure I'll love it," Kagome replied. She refused to tell him that he did not need to get her anything, even though she did not think he needed to go to the effort, because of that smile on his face. He wanted to make her happy, and if making her happy made him happy, then she would take the gift without complaint.

"Of course you will," Naruto continued. "And, if you don't, I'll find something even better!"

Kagome smiled as he beamed at her.

* * *

Sakura watched as Naruto followed Kagome around the room. She was handing out the gifts that she had brought to their owners, and smiling in embarrassment as Naruto told Neji that he had brought the best date of them all. However, she knew that though they had come together, Naruto was still being only friendly, and Kagome was avoiding telling Naruto what she obviously felt. After all, if Kagome would _just_ tell him, he would finally stop acting only friendly with her, even if he looked and acted awkward doing it.

Then, Sakura watched them as they moved onto Sasuke after Neji thanked her. The box given to him was slightly smaller than the one Neji had received was, but Sakura was curious as to what was inside it. She stepped forward a bit more and watched as Sasuke stripped the pretty blue wrapping paper from the box and then popped the top open. And, though Sakura told herself to pay attention to what Naruto and Kagome were doing, she was surprised to find that Kagome had given Sasuke black and red dragon pendant. She was positive that it would look awesome on Sasuke, and Kagome had obviously put some thought into it, which made her pause for just a moment.

However, as Sakura turned her attention away from the present that Sasuke had gotten—and Kagome obviously thought a lot about, which meant she had been thinking _about_ Sasuke—she noticed that Kagome was looking out a window. Naruto was _not_ standing next to her, and many eyes had been cast upward toward the small piece of greenery that was above her head. Sakura's eyes widened when she realized what Kagome was standing under, while staring out the window without a care on her face.

What was out there that fascinated her so much, Sakura would never know.

Neji and Kiba had taken arrogant steps toward the Higurashi, standing alone and defenseless against their shinobi skills. Then, after those two had made the first move, the other arrogant males in the room took a few steps forward, too. And Sakura almost screamed at them to back off, when she realized that Kagome was _not_ as alone as she seemed. Naruto was not directly next to her, but he was not far off, and was staring up at the mistletoe that Kagome had positioned herself under—whether unknowingly or not. However, it would not matter if he simply stood there gawking, while the others got to her and fought over which of them got there first, therefore got to kiss her.

"Naruto, you idiot," Sakura muttered under her breath when she realized how close the others were getting. It appeared that Neji would be the one to win the race, even if he had stated himself that he held no interest in Kagome.

Then, the unexpected, Naruto stepped forward. Sakura almost let her mouth drop open when she realized that Naruto _had_ moved! The blonde was walking toward Kagome with a long stride, not paying attention to Neji, Kiba, or any of the others as Neji thrust his arm out to stop them. Oh, and Sakura could have sworn she felt tears gather in her eyes, since she was sure that it would be the sweetest sight that she had ever seen. Naruto would kiss Kagome, he would get the girl, then he could start dating her, and maybe one-day make a family.

_Family_. Sakura's pretty little image came to a stop when she realized that children of Naruto's would probably act a lot like Naruto. And she hated herself for encouraging him, since she did not need another Naruto—or two, or three, or however many hellions they decided to have—ready and able to bother her.

However, Sakura's plight did not stop Naruto's advance, or the hand that he placed onto Kagome's shoulder. The girl turned toward him, still not realizing where she was standing, and smiled brightly. "It's snowing outside, Naruto-kun," she stated, giving the reason why she had been standing there in the first place. Sakura, though, nearly bit her lip as she watched Naruto's head tilt slightly upward, a blush rising onto his cheeks, and then Kagome's rise to look up, too.

A pretty blush spread over Kagome's cheeks after a moment, and she quickly lowered her head once more. Then, Naruto's hand captured her chin, and he pulled her head up so that she was staring into his eyes. They stayed like that for a moment, before Naruto finally leaned down a bit, and hesitantly placed his lips onto hers. But, after a small moment, he pressed his lips to hers fully, showing her how he felt and feeling her hand slid over his beating heart.

"Aww," Ino sighed, nudging Shikamaru again. "I told you they were cute!"

"Whatever," Shikamaru sighed.

Sakura smiled, for even though her world would shatter with another Naruto raising hell on the land, they were adorable. Naruto was holding Kagome as if she would suddenly get away, and Kagome was holding onto him as if she was desperate for his touch. They looked so happy, and she wished once more that she had someone to make her feel that way, but supposed that one day she would. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday she would slip her fingers down to intertwine with someone elses the way theirs had, and feel the truth settled between them.

For now, though, Sakura was just happy that Naruto and Kagome would not be blind to the others feeling anymore. And that she would have something to talk about with the others for a while—that her friends found out about their love for one another on Christmas, when the snow finally started to fall in Konoha that year.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ I apologize if my winter piece confuses anyone, since it began to confuse me a bit by the end. I wanted to stay away from the main pairings point of view, and focus elsewhere, and then I think I confused myself to the point where it did not flow as well as I wish it did. However, I hoped you enjoyed it either way, and I hope to have more out soon, since my computer is up and running once more._Kiba_


	55. Reflection: Kurama

_**Title:**__ Reflection_

_**Summary:**__ "Each time you look in the mirror, Kagome, what do you see?"_

**Pairing:** Kurama/Kagome

**Anime:** YYH/IY

* * *

Giving a sigh, she reached into the bag sitting next to the couch. Smiling at the young woman at her side, she saw that she was once again frowning, just as her mother had said she'd been doing lately. However, a small smile turned onto the woman's face, when she grabbed a hold of the metal item she'd brought. "We're going to try something a little different this time, alright?" 

The young woman nodded, once again remaining silent.

Sighing again, she placed the item onto the table, and watched as the girl moved her eyes over it for a moment, and then frowned a little at her. Smiling a little more, she motioned toward the mirror, saying, "Now, why don't you tell me what you see."

"What I see?" the girl asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "Tell me what you see in the mirror, Kagome."

_What I see_, Kagome thought, turning her head toward the small mirror, _in the mirror?_

"Go on, Kagome," she pressed. "Tell me what you see."

Kagome looked into the mirror, one that sent a small shiver down her spine from how much it reminded her of Kanna's. The small albino that had once worked obediently for her worst enemy, though in the end the small child-like incarnation had been set free. Looking a little deeper, however, she blinked, as it seemed to ripple inside. "I see…" she began, watching as her reflection changed. _Kikyo._

Allowing her smile to slip at Kagome's pause, as she continued to gaze deeply into the mirror, she reached out in order to grip her shoulder. The girl turned toward her, startled, and she allowed her smile to return. "Each time you look into the mirror, Kagome, what do you see? You can tell me, you know that, don't you?"

"Y-yes, I know," Kagome said. "I see… see myself smiling; happy, with my friends."

A frown crossed her face, and she gripped the girl's shoulder a bit harder. "You remember, don't you, that I told you I can tell whenever you are lying?" she asked. "Don't you, Kagome?"

Kagome gulped, knowing she was caught. "I remember," she whispered.

"Then tell me what you see in the mirror," she pressed again, her voice harder than before.

"I-I see," she started.

"Don't lie to me, Kagome," she stated quickly.

"It's not important." Kagome turned her face away, her eyes gently moving over the mirror, before turning away quickly. She didn't wish to see her incarnation's cold eyes staring at her with such hatred as they had been a moment ago. She didn't wish to remember Inuyasha's words as he told her she would never be as good as Kikyo. She didn't wish to remember the moment she was pulled back into the future because of a toddler, leaving her friends alone and probably heartbroken.

"Everything we talk about is important, Kagome," she said. "There's nothing we talk about that can be deemed as unimportant. So tell me what you see."

"It's not important," Kagome growled darkly, shrugging the woman's hand off her shoulder. She didn't wish to talk about it. The councilor may think that she knew everything, but she didn't. She didn't need to know about her past just because her mother was worried about her change in attitude.

"It is important, now tell me what you see!" she snapped.

"Bite me," Kagome hissed.

Sighing again, she brought her hand up to run through her hair. "Very well, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. However, I think that now is the perfect time to tell you what has been decided."

"Decided?" Kagome asked, glancing up at the woman. Did she work for that idiot Koenma? She knew that the brat had someone working for him, though she'd never met them, since he'd used some strange device to rip her away from the past once she'd put the Shikon no Tama back together. Still, she didn't like the sound of those words, not with the way she said them.

"I spoke with your mother, and we thought it might be best if you were _away_ from the shrine for a while," she said.

"Away from the shrine?" Kagome asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Kagome."

"Mama?" Kagome asked, turning her head to the woman now standing in the archway. However, behind her stood another woman, and she frowned a little at the fact that she was holding a bag in her hand. "Auntie Atsuko?"

"I think it best that you were away from the _shrine_," her mother stressed the word, "for a period of time. Until you're feeling better, that is." She smiled in reassurance, hoping that her oldest wouldn't argue on the matter, though she knew that her hopes would most likely be dashed. She'd always had her father's temper.

"I-I can't leave you here all alone, mama!" Kagome argued.

"I won't be alone, Kagome," her mother smiled. "I'll have Souta." She smiled a little more, "And don't worry, Atsuko will take good care of you. I'm sure that the change of scenery will help you move on, make new friends, and stop worrying about what might happen if you're not here."

"But mama…"

"You're going, and that's final," her mother stated.

* * *

"Hello," she said softly, bringing her hand up to wave a bit. The girl staring at her narrowed her eyes, before turning toward the boy standing at her side and beginning to shake her fist. She was not sure why her cousin allowed it to happen, since the girl accused him of cheating, before throwing a punch at his head that landed quite nicely. 

"Hey," Yusuke grumbled as he rubbed his jaw. "What the hell was that for, Keiko?"

Keiko huffed, "I just shouted it, and you still don't hear what I said, Yusuke? I swear, do you listen to anything I say?"

"Of course I do!" he defended. "But I'd like to know why in the hell you just hit me when I've done absolutely nothing wrong. In fact, I've even gotten that damn Koenma to leave me alone for the last week, which, if you don't remember, allowed me to go on those dates you're always shoutin' about."

"Then—then, what do you call this?" Keiko motioned toward the girl standing at her boyfriend's side.

"Her?" Yusuke asked, motioning toward her. Watching Keiko cross her arms, tap her foot, and nod, he scowled. "Well, I don't know what yer problem is, Keiko, but this is my cousin, Kagome. She's staying with us because of some problem at home, and I'm supposed to show her around and make her meet new friends."

"I think you're supposed to _help_ me make new friends, Yusuke," Kagome scowled.

"Same thing," Yusuke mumbled. Then he softly said something about whining, which earned him another slap from his girlfriend and a foot stomping on his from his cousin. "Ouch!"

"Served you right, Yusuke," Keiko huffed. Then, turning to Kagome, she blushed a little, before saying, "I'm so sorry about assuming something like that so quickly. Sometimes I just get so worried since he's always off to… _work_."

"That's ok," Kagome smiled. "There was no harm done, since I actually found it rather funny."

"Yeah," Keiko laughed a bit, "but you're just so pretty that I couldn't help but think that maybe Yusuke was taking you out. And that maybe he was just keeping me on the side for whenever he decided he needed a break."

Kagome blinked, blushing darkly from the words. "I—I'm really not all that great."

Keiko blinked in surprise, "What are you talking about? You're beautiful, especially your eyes. Will it offend you if I asked whether they are contacts or not?"

"Um, no," Kagome said softly. "And, they're not."

"Oh," Keiko tilted her head a bit. It was rather unusual to find a person with such lovely blue eyes like Kagome's among their culture. But she supposed that there would always be that one lucky person who got a dominant trait that allowed them to get such pretty features. Like Kurama's green eyes, though truly it was the demon that merged with him that caused that occurrence.

"Um," Kagome bite her lip, "you're quite pretty yourself, Keiko."

Keiko felt a blush rise onto her cheeks. She knew that next to Yusuke's cousin she would seem plain—average. However, she took the complement in stride, not wishing to make herself seem rude in front of her boyfriend's family member. "Thank you so much, but I'm really not…"

"Yusuke's lucky to have someone like you," Kagome smiled. "Not just because you're pretty, but because he needs the firm hand to keep him down sometimes."

Yusuke scowled, "Hey, that was a one _time_ thing, Kagome! And you promised to never bring that crap up again!"

Kagome sent him a sideward glance, and shook her head. "I wasn't referring to _that_, Yusuke," she sighed. Then, she turned her attention back to Keiko, and continued, "You'll be good for him, since he never seems to know up from down."

"You want me to teach you left _from_ right?" Yusuke grumbled. If he had known that his cousin would turn on him so suddenly once meeting his girlfriend, he would have dragged her in the other direction. Then again, that direction held the old hag, the ice maiden, Yukina, and the fire apparition, Hiei—possibly Kurama if he was there, too. That, he decided, might not be anymore positive, since Kagome would probably earn Genkai's respect within minutes, make quick friends with Yukina, and somehow form some weird bond with Hiei. He did _not_ need another reason for Genkai to get on his ass, Yukina to think ill of him, or Hiei to try and use his body as target practice.

Kagome looked over at him again, "Wasn't I the one that saved your butt the first time you ever got into a fight? Seriously, Yusuke, I don't need you teaching me anything, since I think _I_ was the one to teach you left from right hook anyway."

Keiko giggled, "I'll make sure to teach him all I can, Kagome."

Yusuke continued to grumble.

"Oh, stop trying to be so depressing, Yusuke," Kagome said. "You know its not going to work, and you're supposed to show me around. After all, Auntie Atsuko would be very disappointed in you if you left me to roam these gang-infested streets. I'm sure that even if she's had a bit to drink, you would get yourself into big trouble, and I don't want that to happen."

Yusuke did not pay her much attention, as he lifted his arm and shouted out to someone he knew. In return, Kagome scowled at him, and noticed that Keiko was beginning to get annoyed with the fact that he was ignoring them both. However, she was rather curious with who he was waving at, and turned her attention toward the direction that he was facing. As she searched, it was not hard to find the one that Yusuke was using as an excuse to ignore them with, since one of them had his hand raised in return, while the shorter crossed his arms and walked forward.

"Shuichi! Hiei!" Yusuke shouted. At that moment he was considering himself blessed, since he would not have to cart around his girlfriend and cousin by himself. He loved them both, but he did not want to be reminded of embarrassing things by his cousin, nor badgered by Keiko to go on a date that Koenma would probably pull him away from. The two males walking toward him would give him the perfect distraction from that, since he knew that Keiko would be extra careful with what she said, considering the fact his cousin did not know about demons, and Kagome would probably speak when spoken to. After all, he was not stupid enough to not notice that his cousin did not like to speak out loud among a large group—which was rather strange, since he remembered her being quite outspoken and full of pride.

Hiei's eyes scanned over the new addition to the small group they now formed, his eyes narrowing when he realized that she was gazing back at him with the same calculating look. However, he found it slightly intriguing that she hid it underneath a smile and a bright look in her eyes. Not only that, but the fact that she was radiating a sense of purity made her someone to watch should she prove to be dangerous.

"Hello, Yusuke," Kurama greeted his friend. Then, he turned his attention to the small black haired girl standing at Keiko's side, and felt his counterpart perk up. "May I ask who your friend is?"

"Tch," Yusuke rolled his eyes. No doubt Kurama was looking at Kagome because of the strange aura she gave off, _or_ because of his love for beautiful things. "This is my cousin, Higurashi Kagome. Kagome, this is Shuichi, and the shorter guy is Hiei."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Kagome smiled.

"Likewise," Kurama replied.

"Hn," Hiei grunted.

Yusuke spoke up, "Hiei doesn't say much, Kagome, so don't expect much from him. Unless you decide you want to argue with him, then he might have a few things that he'd like to tell you about yourself. I suggest staying away from that, unless you like people being rude to you."

"Thank you, Yusuke," Kagome growled. "You're such a helpful cousin, but I think I will judge people the way that I wish. If someone wishes to be soft spoken, or not speak at all, I find that it is usually because they do not trust other people very much. And that is understandable."

_Whoa, when did Kagome suddenly become so deep_? Yusuke wondered. However, he did not have much time to think about it when her foot connected with his again. He really needed to watch out for that, since she had always been one to deliver him pain.

Hiei smirked when the detective grimaced. It seemed that though the female was quite odd, she would prove amusing.

'_Interesting, most humans would not come up with such a conclusion so quickly_.'

Kurama agreed with Youko, since most would merely find Hiei's quietness strange, and therefore rude. However, she had come to the conclusion that most people, though Hiei was quite un-human, were distant because of trust issues. The case of true for Hiei, which made it appear that she might be able to be one of the few humans to break that barrier that Hiei put up. But, what puzzled him even more, was that she was so quick to defend someone she did not even know.

"Ow, what the _fuck_ was that one for?" Yusuke cursed. Then, he cursed at himself when her foot connected with his chin instead of his foot. He _should_ have seen that one coming as soon as he opened his mouth.

"Yusuke!" Keiko hissed at his language. She would have hit him too if he was not backing away from them and toward his friends so quickly.

'_Oh, that's it,_' Youko cheered, '_hit him again, little spitfire!_'

_Youko_, Kurama sighed. However, he supposed that he should not try to discourage Youko, since Hiei seemed to be getting amusement from the show as well. Then again, Hiei was not apart of him.

"You know very well what it was for," Kagome muttered, "_Urameshi_ Yusuke."

Yusuke flinched. Oh, he did know what it was for. Kagome never used his complete name unless he had done something that she did not believe in. One of those things being the fact that he tried to make her see Hiei in the light that he saw him, an arrogant little demon prick that often helped him in some way. She always told him, when they were younger, that she would judge people the way she wanted to, not because he decided to judge them that way. He supposed he should have remembered that.

Especially after the Hiromi incident—she had hit him quite hard that day.

That girl, in his eyes, had been a _bitch_. How Kagome saw anything good in her, and became friends with her, was beyond him. Kagome often did the impossible, though, and that day had been no different. She had snagged the bitch's heart in her hand and turned her nice, but only whenever Kagome was present—not that his cousin believed a word of it. She always believed that bitch was a good person, but she had never seen the bad side, the side that turned on him each time Kagome was just out of sight.

Keiko moved to Kagome's side, noticing the way that Yusuke was staying just out of reach of her hand and Kagome's foot. "Oh, Yusuke, stop being such a baby," she huffed.

"Stop hitting me!" Yusuke snapped.

"Stop being a jerk," Kagome replied.

"You know what, Kagome, when you stop being miss goody-goody, I'll think about it," Yusuke snarled.

Kagome's eyes narrowed, "You want me to stop being nice?"

'_Ohh, get him, little spitfire_!" Youko roared. He could feel it, something was about to happen, and Yusuke was going to become the target of it. He simply could not wait to see what that beautiful little human had in store for her relative.

Kurama was rather curious, as well, when he felt a shiver run down his spine.

"I think that's what I just said," Yusuke replied.

"So?" Kagome smiled a bit, her eyes dark. "You want me to be a jackass like yourself, do you? You want me to suddenly _fucking _curse up a storm and act like I'm the queen of the world? You want me to prove to you that I can kick your ass from here to wherever in the _fuck_ you want it kicked to? You want me to drop my nice personality and show your little friends that I can, and most likely am, better than you? Is that what you want, Yusuke?"

Yusuke was so stunned that he did not speak. He had never heard such language leave his cousin's mouth.

"Well, it's a shame that you've already got that spot filled, Yusuke, or I might take you up on that offer," Kagome huffed.

"Holy crap, Kagome!" Yusuke burst out suddenly. "Where the hell did you learn that kind of language?"

"Most likely from you, idiot," Hiei said.

"What?" Yusuke shouted. "No way in hell I would teach my baby cousin such things!"

"He has a point, Yusuke," Kagome said. "You do say a lot of that stuff quite often, which would be the reason that I stated it all, and added afterward that you _have_ that spot filled up with your ego. But, I suppose that I should not expect someone with a brain the size of a peanut to understand that—or stand so close to you, I might catch your idiocy."

"Hey," Yusuke yelled. He had known it was a bad idea to get his cousin anywhere near Hiei. The little bastard was already turning her words against him, and she was going right along with him.

"No, please don't say another word, Yusuke!" Kagome made a dramatic hand gesture that got her a giggle from Keiko. "I already feel bad enough for you as it is, I don't need _another_ reason to cry at night!"

Yusuke looked stricken.

Hiei smirked. Yes, this human would be very amusing.

Keiko was not able to help herself, she laughed.

'_I like her, Red_,' Youko said.

_She is rather intriguing, isn't she?_

'_Of course she is!_' Youko replied. '_Anyone would know that even before she decided to show off. After all, I didn't know there were any mikos still alive._'

Kurama blinked, saying, _I didn't either, Youko._

* * *

"So, Urameshi, you never told us why you're cousins here," Kuwabara said. "Mind explaining." 

Yusuke scowled, before saying, "Not that it's any of your business, Kuwabara, but she's here because she wasn't doin' all that good back at the shrine where she lives. My mom said something about her fighting with her counselor over looking in a mirror. Apparently she disagreed with whatever in the hell the counselor wanted her to do, and she turned on her."

"Kagome had a counselor!" Kuwabara shouted.

"Shut up, moron!" Yusuke shouted over him, noticing that the girls were looking over toward them. "I promised that I wouldn't talk about it, so shut yer trap, will ya."

"But she looks fine," Kuwabara argued.

Hiei snorted, "Hn. She may look fine, but that does not mean that she is. There are such things as emotional pain, fool."

"I knew that, shrimp," Kuwabara growled.

"Then try using that thing you call a brain next time," Hiei replied.

Kurama sighed, "There is no reason to fight over this."

Youko disagreed with him. '_Oh, come on, Red. Let them go at it. I bet you that short-stuff kicks Kuwabara's ass in five seconds flat. A thousand yen, how does that sound?_'

_**Hn, I'll bet another thousand for two seconds**_.

_Hiei, don't encourage him_, Kurama replied.

'_Yeah right, little bugger! Like you, or anyone, could hit Kuwabara hard enough that he would…_'

Kurama shook his head, watching as Kuwabara crumbled to the ground.

'_Thanks a lot, Red. I just lost two thousand yen!_'

_And how is this my fault_?

'_You seem to forget whose money it is I'm spending_,' Youko snickered. '_Weren't you the one complaining about losing money because of me? Seriously, if you don't want me to, then call them to a stop before they start_.'

Kurama shook his head. Then he turned his attention to Yusuke once more, and asked, "You said that she has to stay with you because of something she refused to do? Would you mind explaining a bit more, Yusuke?"

"Why?" Yusuke smirked. "Interested in my cousin, fox boy?"

"Would you hold it against me if I was?" Kurama asked.

Yusuke frowned. He did not want Kagome to get hurt, especially by someone who had a high sex drive like Kurama. However, if she decided to show interest in him, like she had shown a little in Hiei, then he would not stand in her way of it. It was her life, she could live it however she wanted to, though it might get a little complicated once she found out they were not quite human.

"Well?" Kurama pressed.

"Look, all I heard was that her counselor asked her to look into a mirror and tell her what she saw," Yusuke rolled his eyes. "Apparently Kagome got pissy with her and told her to go to hell. I don't know why, I really don't care why, but Kagome's had this thing with mirrors since about two years ago. My mom mentioned it after Kagome's noticed it the first time, which is probably why she had the counselor in the first place, ok."

"Strange," Kurama muttered.

"You got that right," Yusuke shook his head. "I saw her go by one this morning and she stopped, scowled, and looked ready to break it to pieces. Man, it was one scary glare that she gave that thing—hell, I didn't even know she could get that scary. Made me start wonderin' if it's her time of the month."

"It isn't," Kurama replied.

"What?" Yusuke frowned, his tone dark and protective. How the hell did—

"Idiot, try using your nose," Hiei said. "Any demon could pick up the smell of blood, whether its from a bleeding female or not."

_Leave it to Hiei_, Yusuke thought.

* * *

She lifted the small mirror, gazing into its depths the way that she had been told to, and stuck herself in this mess. Though, she would not say that she did not like her new friends, even if some of them took a bit more time to conquer. She would never say that, but she would say that she hated the mirror currently in her hands, and every single one after it. "Stupid thing," she scowled, rearing her hand back to chuck it. 

"I do not think that was its intended use."

She was startled for a moment, her hand quickly bringing the mirror to her breast. Then, once she turned, she sighed at her stupidity. "You scared me for a moment there, Kurama," she said.

'_Ah, and what a lovely sight it was, too_.'

_Not now, Youko_.

"Um, is there something you wanted?" Kagome asked.

'_Other than_…'

_Shut _up_, Youko_.

'_You're no fun, Red_.'

"I apologize if I startled you," Kurama said. "I saw you sitting out here by yourself and could not help but feel that you might like some company."

Kagome blinked, "Oh… um, thank you." She really hated it whenever he was around. She had met him just over a month ago, and still she could not speak to him. Yes, she could tease Yusuke, strike up an intelligent conversation with Hiei, or laugh at Kuwabara's love for cats around him, but she could not speak to him it seemed. She was not sure what it was about him, but his presence pressed down around her, and she felt like she was suffocating, even for a good time after he disappeared.

Kurama nodded. He took a seat beside her, and glanced at the small silver mirror she as now holding to her chest, even when a moment ago she had been ready to throw it as far as she possibly could. The thought still poked at him once in a while, making him curious as to what she saw whenever she looked into one. Especially after he heard from Hiei that she had put her fist through one not even a week after she had arrived—and then her wound had healed strangely, at almost demon speeds.

Kagome tried to release the tension in her body, and forced the mirror away from her breast. She placed it in her lap, but found that she could not raise her eyes to meet his, so she kept them lowered. In doing so, she stared straight into the mirror, the reflection that she hated so much staring back at her as she did so. While doing so, she did not even notice that she clenched her fingers around it a little more, tightening her grip until the metal was biting into her skin.

_Kikyo, how much I hate you…_

Kurama noticed the change almost instantly.

_How much I hate looking like you…_

He leaned a bit closer, looking down at her reflection in the mirror, glaring heatedly at herself.

_But, worst of all, I hate myself for hating you…_

"What do you see?"

Kagome jumped, spinning her head around in order to stare at the male sitting beside her. His voice washed over her, causing a bright blush to shadow her cheeks, and she felt utterly stupid for having done such a thing in front of him. Then, she realized that she was staring into his calculating green eyes, and she quickly rotated her eyes away from his. "Ah, what was it you asked?" she asked softly.

Kurama pried the mirror from her fingers, and raised it so that it was at eyelevel. She turned to look into it, and he leaned down to whisper into her ear once more. He knew that she was uncomfortable with him this close, but it did not stop him from doing so. "Each time you look into the mirror, Kagome, what do you see?" he asked softly.

She met her eyes, staring back at her, and watched as they shifted a bit until they were not hers anymore. They were similar, but they were not hers. "I—"

"Do you want to know what I see?" Kurama asked.

Kagome blushed again when his warm breath ghosted over her skin. However, she could not stop herself from nodding.

"I see a confused, but beautiful young woman who thinks entirely too much on the past," Kurama whispered. "I see her trying to fight something because of something that's been pounded into her head so much. But, mostly, I see a beautiful young woman who does not even realize how beautiful she is."

Kagome stiffened, wondering how in the world he knew that.

Kurama would remember to thank Hiei later for the information, though the hybrid had refused to give up almost all of it. In fact, his friend had seemed a bit troubled and unwilling to give away what he had managed to pry from Kagome's mind. He supposed, though, that whatever he saw was what caused Hiei to become a bit more protective of her.

"I'm not sure what you see, but that's what I see. Almost like there's a butterfly that has not realized quite yet how to fly," he continued.

Kagome's heart picked up the pace.

Kurama pulled away, and placed the small mirror back into her lap. "I'm not quite sure what you see, but I know what I do," he smiled. "And I rather like it."

Kagome fingered the metal edges.

Standing, Kurama looked down at her, and wondered how much more he would see of her before she was sent home. He hoped, though, that it would be a bit, since she was rather intriguing—and the mysterious puzzle hanging over her head made her all the better. "Goodnight, Kagome," he said.

Kagome did not even nod as she heard him retreat inside. His words swam in her head, and she was so unused to hearing anything of the sort that she felt her cheeks heat up a bit more. However, she could not help but wonder if that was truly what he saw, or if he had just been humoring her. She supposed that that was the reason that she picked the mirror back up, and quickly raised it so that she was staring straight at it. She was surprised a moment later, because she was staring at someone she had not been expecting to be staring at.

Kagome was staring at herself.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ I decided to make the end of this short and sweet because it was getting too long in the first place. Besides, I'm tired. I was up typing most of the night and I had to get to my local library before it closed for the Christmas holiday. I would have typed more, but I didn't feel like it, and I really needed some sleep. Though, my parents would say otherwise with how much I've been getting already. Lol._Kiba_


	56. First Love: Sohma Kyo

_**Title:** First Love_

_**Summary:** Shunned, and usually alone, he is surprised that the sickly girl in the zodiac decides to become his friend._

**Pairing:** Kyo/Kagome

**Anime:** Fruits Basket/IY

* * *

He frowned, watching the other children move away from him as their parents and the head glared at him. He did not understand why they did not like him; he had never done anything to them before. All he wanted was to play with the other members of his family, not anything else. Yet, they always came, and they always left him alone, feeling down and left out of everything. 

Alone, and apparently unwanted again, he bounced the ball that his mother had given him to play with. She was not quite well at the moment, but she had still made sure to search for the ball so that he could play with it. That small fact brought a tiny smile to his face as he thought about it—his mother loved him so much that he could not help but love her back. He had never had anyone else, so the world was all right as long as his mother was alive.

A small cough caught his attention, and he swiftly turned his head to see a small black haired girl, who began to cough uncontrollably as she sat into the grass beneath her feet. Blinking at the sight, watching her hold her throat and continue to cough, he hesitantly took a step toward her. He had never seen her before, he knew he hadn't because he remembered most of the faces that he did, and hers was new. Not only that, but he had never heard someone cough so much unless they were sick, so he decided to point out the obvious as her coughing subsided.

"You shouldn't be outside if you're sick," he said.

The little girl turned her head up toward him, and blinked a few times with her wide blue eyes. Then, though he was sure she would run at the sight of him, she smiled, and said, "I know that, silly. But I've always been this way, my mommy says, and she said that today I can come outside."

"Always?" he wrinkled his nose, thinking about how much he would hate that. "You've always been sick?"

She nodded, allowing the hand that was holding her throat to fall to her side. "My mommy says that I will always be sick, and the doctors say that too. Even Hatori-san, he says he wants to be a doctor, says that, and I believe Hatori-san more than those mean doctors."

"I don't like doctors," the boy admitted.

"I don't either, but my mommy says that they are good for me, since they keep me from getting too sick. I trust my mommy, and I trust Hatori-san, since he told me that the doctors might one day be able to make me better. I told him that I hope so, because then I could come outside everyday, instead of only when the sun is out." The little girl smiled brightly, her wide eyes shining deeply. "I told him that I want that to happen very much, because I could play in the snow during the winter then."

"You've never played in the snow?" he asked, his voice stunned. He could not imagine not having ever played in the snow, since his mother brought him out often during the winter months just to show him how very white everything became. How very pure everything seemed, just before the world decided that it needed to become warm once more, and spring began.

She shook her nest of black locks, and said, "I tried once, but Hatori-san caught me before I could go outside. He told me then that it was very bad for me to go outside, because I could get very, very sick. Then… he took me to see Akito-sama, and I decided after that that I would not try to go outside when it snowed ever again. I get to sit in the window and watch it fall, though, and its very pretty."

He decided that she talked a lot, but thought that she had a very good reason for obeying. "I don't like Akito-sama," he told her, "he yells at me whenever his daddy isn't there."

"Akito-sama glares at me a lot," the little girl gulped. "He's scary, but I think that Akito-sama just needs a friend. But, Akito-sama laughed when I told him that I would be his friend."

Gripping the ball between his fingers, the boy asked, "Do you want to play with me?"

The girl smiled, "Yes!"

Then, he considered something, and asked, "Do you _know_ how to play?"

"Of course I know how to play," she scowled. "Yuki-kun plays with me when he can, but Akito-sama pulls him away a lot. Yuki-kun is good at bouncing the ball, and he tried to teach me once, but I'm not very good. You won't mind, will you?"

"No," he told her. "You won't mind if I'm not very good, will you?"

She shook her head, before smiling a bit. "My names Kagome. What's yours?"

"Kyo," he grinned. "I'm the cat."

She grinned fully, "Really? My mommy says I'm the tiger."

Kyo smiled, bouncing the ball to her as she stood from her position on the ground. She had not suddenly turned distant and raced away to her mother when he mentioned his position in their family. His smile stretched out a bit more, since she was the first to have not done so. For that, he was glad.

* * *

Kyo laughed, watching as she stretched her hands out in order to catch the blossoms falling from the sakura tree over their heads. "Kagome-chan, like this," he said when she did not manage to grasp any in her fingers. He showed her, closing his fingers around the blossoms, and then reached out in order to give it to her. A light blush spread across his cheeks as she did, giggling and thanking him, before going back to try herself. 

"Kyo-kun, look!" she yelled in excitement after a moment, before shoving her hand into his face. She then showed him the wrinkled blossom that she had managed to catch, and smiled brightly when he cheered. "I'm going to give it to my mommy! She'll like it, I know she will."

"Kagome-chan, why does your mother never come here with you?" Kyo asked.

She looked offended, "She does, but I told her that you would be here. She smiled and told me to go play, because she had to meet with Akito-sama and his daddy. I think I was supposed to go with her, since Akito-sama wanted to see me. He doesn't like the fact that I play with you, Kyo-kun."

"You won't get into trouble, will you?" he asked.

She shook her head, "Akito-sama has been very nice lately. I don't know why, but he took me outside to watch the birds a couple of days ago. Hatori-san told me that it was very odd for Akito-sama to show such kindness, but it was very nice of him, I think. Akito-sama didn't even tell me I was pretty with that strange look in his eye, so I think that he felt very good that day."

"Kagome-chan," Kyo frowned, "do you like Akito-sama?"

She shook her head, a small blush covering her cheeks. "No, I like you, Kyo-kun."

Kyo smiled. "I like you, too, Kagome-chan."

"But, I think that Akito-sama could be a very good person if he tried to be," Kagome continued. "He's not as mean as everyone thinks."

Kyo frowned deeply, "I don't like Akito-sama. He yelled at my mother."

"He yells at my mother a lot, and me whenever I've done something bad," Kagome said. "But, Akito-sama will be head, and his daddy frowns a lot whenever someone has done something bad. I think that he's just trying to be like his daddy, since I heard from Hatori-san that Akito-sama's daddy was very angry with Akito-sama when he hit Yuki-kun."

"But my mother hadn't done anything wrong," Kyo huffed. "She was just mad when someone tried to take off my bracelet. Akito-sama heard her talking about it, and yelled at her that it didn't matter, because I wasn't worth protecting."

Kagome gasped, "That's not true! I don't know why Akito-sama would even think something like that, everyone is worth protecting."

"Well, that's why I don't like Akito-sama. He's mean," Kyo grumbled.

* * *

She coughed, reaching up to grip her throat once more. 

"Are you ok, Kagome-chan?"

She nodded, before coughing again. When it had finally subsided, though, she smiled faintly. "My mommy took me to the doctors a few days ago, Kyo-kun. They said that I'm de-deter-i-or-ating. I don't know what that means, but my mommy cried for a while afterward, and then hugged me a lot. Do you know what it means?"

Kyo shook his head.

Her smile slipped, "Hatori-san wouldn't tell me, either. I even tried to ask Akito-sama, since he knows a lot about what's happening to the other members of the zodiac. But, Akito-sama gave me a look, frowned, and told me to go away. I don't know why everyone is acting so strangely. Even Yuki-kun was very silent when he came to see me."

Kyo frowned, "I don't think it sounds very good."

"I don't either," she said sadly. "I think that I'm getting sicker, and my mommy is sad because of it. I've gotten sicker before, though, so I should be ok. But, everyone is acting so strange, and they keep patting my head and telling me how much they love me. You won't act strange, will you, Kyo-kun?"

"Not if you don't want me to," he replied.

She smiled, "Good!"

Kyo frowned deeper as she began to cough again. She was always coughing, he was used to it, but it seemed different now. Almost like she was coughing more and more with each passing day. Her mother brought her outside a lot more too, even though she was always concerned with how well Kagome was. She checked her forehead constantly, and knew exactly when to take her inside, but she had not been for the last few days—since she took her to the doctors.

"I'm sorry, Kyo-kun," she whispered.

"It's alright, I don't mind," he said.

She nodded, before coughing again. It was deeper, and she leaned forward a bit as they came uncontrollably.

Kyo's eyes widened, "Kagome-chan!"

She coughed again, feeling something warm fill her mouth.

"Kagome-chan!" Kyo yelled, jumping to his feet. "You're bleeding!"

He turned, and yelled for help as loudly as he could.

* * *

He gripped her hand as the others slid out the door quietly. "You'll be ok now, Kagome-chan," he chirped. "The doctors will make you better, even if they're big and scary." 

She smiled faintly.

He frowned, "Kagome-chan, promise me that you'll get better."

"I promise," she said softly, her voice horse.

"Good, because I don't want you to go away," Kyo continued. "Everyone goes away, but I don't want you to. You're my best friend, and I don't want you to disappear. I want us to play together more, and go outside when it snows! You'll love it, Kagome-chan, since everything is white, and its fun to look up and try to catch the flakes on your tongue."

She continued to smile. "I asked my mommy, and she said that if I wanted, this year I could go outside to play in the snow. I'd like to play in it with you, Kyo-kun."

"I'll show you everything there is to know about snow!" Kyo laughed. However, his face dropped when he noticed that Kagome was not laughing with him, nor did she look very well. The fact that she was smiling was the only thing that remained a constant, since she was always smiling. But, even now that did not make him feel any better, since he had a bad feeling after she had coughed up all that blood.

"I'd like that," she whispered.

His mother appeared, and placed a hand onto his shoulder to lead him away. He looked back when he was in the doorway, though, and said, "I'll come back to visit tomorrow, Kagome-chan! I promise."

* * *

A sigh escaped his lips, as he glanced over toward the ladder, wondering if that stupid girl would decide to join him once more. However, he looked back up at the stars once more, wondering why his thoughts had journeyed so far back in time. He had not thought about any of that since he was younger, after he realized that she just was not going to get better, and then cried throughout the ceremony held after she died. If he remembered correctly, he stopped thinking about it after Kisa was born, since he refused to acknowledge the fact that there had been a person with the tiger spirit attached to them before her. 

A young, smiling face appeared in front of his eyes, hidden slightly by the background of stars. The image made him wonder what exactly was bringing this on, since it was not everyday that he even decided to think about something so stupid—so heartbreakingly sad. However, the smile that was directed at him caused him a frown, and reach out with his hand.

_Tohru_…

Her smile, so innocent and bright, was almost the same. Almost.

He knew, though, that there would never be a smile that could shine as brightly as _hers_ had. Kagome had had a smile that resembled the sun, one that brightened his day whenever he saw it, but also made him feel light and happy inside. And, on the plus side, he could have hugged her without consequences—he _had_ hugged her without consequences.

Kyo frowned, telling himself that he was being stupid. She was in the past, and gone. He might have had a tiny crush on her, but that was no reason for him to suddenly think of her because some idiot girl enters Shigure's house with the same radiating happiness despite the strange events. Tohru, though, was nothing compared to the light that had been Sohma Kagome. She would always be nothing, since _nothing_ could ever make him as happy as Kagome had.

"Damn it," Kyo hissed at himself. He did not need to be thinking about this, he needed to be thinking about his next move on that damn rat. After all, that was what he had come to Shigure's for—to beat that bastard, Yuki. He growled thinking about it, since Yuki probably only thought about allowing _Honda-san_ to stay because she was somewhat like Kagome—just a whole lot stupider.

A creak told him that Tohru had arrived, and he scowled at the sky once more. However, his eyes softened just a bit as the young girl, the previous host of the tiger, appeared before his eyes again. She looked so eternal against the stars, and he bet that she was up there in heaven. In fact, if he knew her as well as he thought he did, she was probably smiling down and telling him to stop being such an ass to such a _nice_ girl like Tohru.

Like that was going to happen.

"Kyo-kun," Tohru's voice penetrated his thoughts.

Kyo turned his head toward her, blocking out his memories. Now was not the time to be thinking about them, even if Tohru reminded him a bit of the sick girl that had befriended him when no one else would. Now, though, when he had been hardened against the troubles of the world, he did not care as much if everyone turned away from him. Akito was going to try and find a way to lock him up anyway, so he would have plenty of time to think about how much Kagome would yell at the bastard once he got there.

His eyes burned with a hidden fire—unless, of course, he kicked the shit out of Akito's precious Yuki.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ Ha, stupid laptop keyboard, you cannot defeat me! Oh, sorry, I had to change the pads underneath my keys with ones that I don't use as often, since they were becoming annoying and would not work as I told them to (or whenever I pressed on them). However, despite that, I managed to type this up, and am ashamed of myself, since it took me forever to fulfill this request. Now, though, I must go off and do other stuff (like update Breeding School, or write that Neji/Kagome I had in mind, or maybe that new Hiei/Kagome three-shot I had in mind… or maybe do my homework). 

_Kiba_


	57. Undeniable: Kuran Kaname

**_KibaSin: _**I barely managed to get myself to complete this, and it might be a little choppy at parts because I have a cold. I don't work so well when I don't feel well, which isn't all that abnormal. However, I apologize if I don't write anything for a while, because I might have this cold for up to a week.

Also, I'd like to thank madmiko and kingmasonite for their nominations for my stories onto the Inuyasha Fanguild awards. 'Such a Small World' now has been nominated for the 3rd Quarter 2007 Best Alternate Reality, the 4th Quarter 2007 Best Alternate Reality and Best Drama, and my one-shot 'Similarities' has been nominated for Best OneShot this quarter. I'd be more excited if I didn't have this damn cold. Lol.

_Kiba_

* * *

_**Title:** Undeniable_

_**Summary:** Cross Yuki has been told to watch for any odd events and report them, but she never would have guessed that such a secret hid beneath Kaname's cool exterior._

**Pairing:** Kaname/Kagome

**Manga:** Vampire Knight/IY

* * *

"What is it you want now?" 

"Zero, that's no way to treat the headmaster!" Yuki frowned. She watched as the boy merely reached up to rub at the marking on his neck, turning his head away from her. A small scowl had found its way onto Zero's face, and she shook her head at him. He had been quiet lately, and she hoped that he was all right, since he had not refused to speak with her since she had offered her blood for him to drink.

"Ah!" he replied, "Tonight I have a very special order for you both."

Yuki raised her hand in a salute, and said, "Whatever it is, we shall fulfill it! It is our duty as members of the disciplinary committee."

"That's my girl, Yuki!" Headmaster Cross replied.

Zero sighed, "Will you get on with it?"

"Right," he nodded. "Yuki. Zero. If either of you see Kuran-san doing anything odd, anything out of character, within the next twenty-four hours, do not interfere. Whatever it is, even if it is against the academy rules, I want you to report to me. Do not provoke him," the headmaster ordered, his voice soft, as his head lowered.

"Headmaster, what is it you think Kaname might be doing—or going to do?" Yuki asked curiously.

Zero's hand clenched, his eyes narrowing in thought.

"Oh, nothing!" the headmaster responded cheerfully. His head raised, eyes glittering happily. "I'm not worried that anything dangerous is going to happen, but I thought you two should be on alert. After all, we are going to be receiving a very special guest, and I do hope that the Day and Night Class will welcome them happily."

"Who is it, headmaster?" Yuki asked.

Zero turned on his heel, retreating from the office. His thoughts were moving, and he hoped that Yuki was prepared, because even now her feelings could not be completely wavered from that vampire.

Yuki turned, "Zero!"

"You better go with him, Yuki," the headmaster said. "Make sure he stays out of trouble."

Yuki nodded, and began to retreat from the office herself. She stopped, however, when she heard the headmaster speak again. She turned her eyes toward him in that moment, noticing that he had turned serious.

"Yuki, for tonight, it is good to remember that not everything is how it appears. Take the Night Class for example—they appear to be a bunch of beautiful, yet sometimes troublesome students. However, underneath the human mask, they are and always will be vampires."

"Of course, headmaster."

The headmaster smiled again, saying, "Best you be off then! The Night Class will be coming out soon for class, and the Day Class girls will no doubt be very excited."

* * *

_He stepped closer, his stance calm as he glanced over the scene. The energy he had felt was gone now, but it lingered in the air, calling all those who wished to drink from it. It was that call that had brought him here, his feet traveling across the ground in order to stop the violence that would no doubt break out. He did not care to claim the power for his own, but it would need to be contained, forced down, before the one holding it was destroyed from the overload—thus destroying others, as well._

_His face calm, neutral, he stepped closer toward the sound of hissing. No doubt another had come to claim the power and blood said to be unstoppable, and undeniably addictive when turned. However, he knew that many more would fall should he not bring peace, for the energy was building up once again, ready to strike any who were not worthy. The human turned would not have control over that response until someone put a stop to the chaos, and he knew that he was the only one in a respectful distance who could._

_Moving from the shadows, he moved around the corner, his eyes casting over the scene. The former human was huddled on the ground, while the lower class vampire hissed down at her—even through the thick scent of blood, her feminine scent was not hard to decipher. The vampire demanded for her to give herself over to him, but he only received a blood-red stare, the former human revealing gleaming white fangs from behind her curtain of dark hair. The recently turned human did not move, though, for already the uncontained power was rising, tensing like a viper going to strike._

_Her urges were thick, heavy upon the air, but she did not go for the neck. No, instead she allowed the power crackling in the air around her to go for the soul, burning the other vampire's flesh until it was dust. Surprisingly, the scent of blood grew in thickness, though it was clear that the lower class vampire had been turned to ash. The energy did not die down, the female crying out, unable to hold them down, as she probably had been able to while human._

_Thus was the curse of her rebirth._

_Tears leaked from her eyes, the red stare fading into seas of blue, while a whimper of despair rose from her throat. She looked so weak, though her kind were said to be so strong—like a butterfly, beautiful until dead. Her body shook, the energy returning to strike out at the body that it was contained within, nothing stopping it from attacking in its recently found freedom. It had been given a taste of vampire blood, and without something to stop it—without sacrifice—it forced itself upon its master, slowly gaining more freedom until it had obliterated itself._

_The only way to stop it was through sacrifice—through the drinking of blood, for it was the only thing that locked the energy away. Humans did not understand this, and those with this type of energy were even more reluctant to take what was offered. They considered it a sin, something that should not happen, even when it was a matter of life and death. Humans with this type of energy were the worst, and very few drank, destroying themselves before they were given even a chance to see the good in being immortal._

_Her eyes snapped up, blood swarming in from the edges, when he stopped before her. Her face was covered in dirt and blood, but he could see the beauty that she had held even as a human. Her energy rose away from her body again, swarming around him, crackling the air, but he easily ignored it, pressing his own against it and forcing it to submit. Then, she whispered, "W-what do you want?"_

_"What I want is not important," he stated softly. "It is what you want."_

_The crackling energy realized that it was unable to fight against such hidden strength, and retreated to the former human's body. The girl whimpered again, the energy no doubt returning to its previous actions—tearing her apart the longer she waited. "I did not want this," she replied, "but he wished to die, and I could not stop myself from helping him."_

_"Who?"_

_"The pureblood T-Toshiaki," she whispered. "I-I was a fool, I did not believe that he would go to such means to die."_

_"Tell me," he asked, "do you wish to die as he did?"_

_She was silent for a moment, and then her eyes looked up at him. They were once again seas of endless blue, magnificent and pure, though the energy swirling beneath the pupil was powerful and unforgiving. "No," she replied softly. "I wish to live."_

_"Do you know what you must do?" he asked._

_"Yes, but I do not wish to die," she whimpered. "They gave up far too much for me to die because I am not able to drink blood to survive."_

_He did not know what she spoke of, but he knelt down at her side in order to gather her into his arms. Her body was limp, her head instantly falling to the side in order to reveal her pale, blood-covered neck. The energy swarming underneath her flesh was already beginning to cripple her, but he knew that it would soon be over. He leaned into her, pulling her head so that she was positioned to feed, before he said, "And you know of the consequences?"_

_"Of this forbidden union? Yes, I know of them," she nodded lightly._

_"Yet still you wish to live?" he asked._

_"Yes," she replied, not a moments hesitation in her voice._

_"So be it," he muttered. His lips then pulled back, gleaming fangs showing themselves for any who might witness the moment. His tongue slipped from between them, sliding up her throat, tasting the blood that had already spilled from her sealed wounds. A groan left his throat, before he finally pressed his fangs to the skin covering the vein he sought. Her energy rose again, spilling from the wound he had created and into his mouth with her blood, but the added sting was delightful as he heard her gasp._

_Soon, her energy would be too focused on him, and her urge to return the bite would rise to the surface._

_Her tongue began to ravish his neck, and he knew that it would be soon._

* * *

Yuki moved forward, her mind replaying her orders, even as she hoped that she would not come across some over adventurous girls from the Day Class, hoping to get another glimpse of the beautiful vampires of the Night Class. Her feet tapped lightly against the ground, her eyes sweeping over the darkness as she continued her patrol. For a moment she wondered where Zero had gotten to, but decided that she should not worry about his lazy bum—he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Besides, this was not the first time that he had disappeared, and she doubted it would be the last, even if she did give him a good talk on the proper conduct of a member of the disciplinary committee. 

Rounding a corner, Yuki paused when she realized that she was not alone. Her hand instinctively settled onto the Artemis Rod, as she spun herself away behind the shadows of the building to her left. She crept forward, realizing that the others had not noticed her presence, and paused when a feminine voice spoke.

"Hello," one of them said, "Kaname."

Yuki allowed her eyes to widen, realizing that the taller of the two was in fact the President of the Night Class. She found it odd, since she had seen him walk into the building for class, yet he was standing in front of her now. And next to him, slightly obscured from the way he was position in front of her, was a girl. However, Yuki could tell, even from the distance now set between them, that the girl was quite beautiful, enough so that she could have sworn she was a vampire for a moment. But, there was something about the way she seemed, the way her beauty did not glow, that told Yuki she was probably human.

Blinking, Yuki wondered what Kaname was doing outside of class with a human. And how in the world have the girl managed to get on campus without alerting anyone? She was not wearing the Cross Academy uniform, and Yuki could not recall seeing her before within the hordes of girls who wanted to take a peek and admit their affections for anyone in the Night Class. However, that did not answer the question of what Kaname was doing with her. Yes, he was polite and kind, but what could he possibly want to do with a human that had somehow happened to appear on campus?

His hand lifted, reaching out toward the girl, and Yuki thought for a moment he might be going to strike her. It would make sense, that he would remove her if she were a threat, or take her to the headmaster if she was lost. However, she was confused when Kaname merely grasp a few locks of the girl's raven colored hair, shining with a dark blue tint in the moonlight. Even more questions swarmed into her mind, as her hand slipped from the Artemis Rod, deeming the girl a non-threat. But she could not stop herself from watching, even when she knew that she should put a stop to the interaction and take the girl to the headmaster.

His hand fell away from her soft, raven hair then, his fingers brushing against her pale cheek. Yuki could not see his eyes, but she watched as the pureblood stepped closer to the girl before him. His voice then rose into the air, "It has been a long time, Kagome."

"No amount of time is long for us," the girl replied. "But even so, I have missed you."

Kaname leaned into her, his nose finding a home in the crook of her neck. A hiss escaped his throat, as his hands rose to grip her arms. He pulled her closer, inhaling her scent—so sweet and pure—as it incased him in a strong hold. His nose moved only slightly, enticing a shiver from the girl, searching for the prefect vein, so vulnerable and easy to take from. "My precious little butterfly—so beautiful and elegant you appear, yet how weak you are…"

She snaked her hands behind his back, holding him close, as she pressed her body to his. "Kaname," she whispered, tilting her head a bit more to the side. Her long neck was exposed to him, as well as the thin choker about her neck, a tiny butterfly hanging from the center. "You are not as strong as you claim, either."

"My little butterfly," he repeated.

Kagome moaned when his tongue slipped from between his lips, the stiffened tip pressing against her throat. The wet appendage slipped upward, marking a path along the thick vein that he was paying so much attention to. Her head fell a little more, feeling her blood pump beneath the surface, as if it was begging for him to take a bite. Then, as quickly as the feeling had appeared, it vanished as he pulled away. "Nggh…" she whimpered.

Burying his nose once more, Kaname forced down the instincts rising within. However, he was not the least bit surprised when Kagome pulled herself closer. Her mouth settled against his ear, and his instincts refused to be held down once she began to whisper. Her voice was so soft, so alluring, and he knew that she held him tightly when he felt himself breaking.

"Kaname, please," she whimpered. "Stop torturing us both."

Instantly, her words like a command, his lips pulled back to reveal his deadly fangs. He pressed against her, one hand cradling her head, allowing the sharp tips to graze her tender flesh. The moan that left her throat became his undoing, and without a moment's hesitation, he sank his fangs deep into the vein calling to him. His urges would not be denied, not now, and he knew that his little butterfly would not be the one to deny him.

Thick, heated blood escaped the wound he had inflicted, swelling up in his mouth, and moving down his throat with each strong gulp. The girl in his arms shuddered, another moan slipping from her lips, and Kaname knew that it would not be long. His little butterfly was as weak as he was, unable to deny the urge she had each time he drank from her. It had been so long, and he knew that it would not be long before she gave herself over to the instincts building beneath her skin.

Yuki's eyes widened from her position. From her spot she could hear the thick moan that slipped from the girl's parted lips, and her heart beat loudly as she watched her head fall back further into Kaname's hand. She could not make out much, for Kaname was at least a head taller than the girl he was drinking from, but she saw the red liquid stain the girl's white open-collared shirt. The sight was what set her into action, her hand going to grip the Artemis Rod. Drinking blood on campus was forbidden, Kaname had to be stopped, whether the girl was from Cross Academy or not.

A hand settled onto her head, and she turned suddenly to find Zero standing behind her. "Zero," she breathed, "we have to stop Kaname before he gets into trouble!"

"Don't you remember what the headmaster said, Yuki?" Zero asked.

"But he's—"

"She smells like them," Zero frowned.

Yuki frowned, her thoughts rushing. _What do you mean, Zero? Them? Does that mean she smells like a vampire? Does that mean I was right the first time—that she's not human?_

"She smells like _him_," Zero continued.

"Ka… na… me…" Another long moan slipped from the girl's mouth, filling the air around them. Yuki swung her eyes away from Zero's, though she had noticed his narrowed, and watched as the girl gripped Kaname's loose shirt tightly. At that moment she realized that he was not wearing the academy Night Class uniform. The girl, though, pulled at it until it had bared his throat, her head fallen back into Kaname's hand completely, as her face twisted in pleasure. Then, Yuki's eyes widened when the girl lifted her head weakly, her eyes staring at Kaname's neck in lust.

Her eyes were alight with flames, the blue twisting away into lustful orbs that had only sight of the expanse of flesh before her. Zero's eyes narrowed a bit more as the girl pulled her lips back, revealing hidden fangs, and moved in to take from the pureblood as he was taking from her. He almost moved to save her from her own death, knowing what the pureblood might do should she actually take a nip at his neck, whether he was drinking from her or not. However, the energy, the power that he saw swirling in her eyes the next moment stopped him. He had only heard of such a creature, but her eyes told all as she leaned in to feed.

Zero's eyes narrowed just a bit more. No, the Night Class President would not hurt her, for he was drinking for more reasons than simple lust. If her blood were really as sweet and addictive as the creature's was said to be, then the pureblood would not dare kill her in fear of losing his snack. And he had no doubt that it was, for the smell was sweet and demanded that he try to fight for a taste himself, but he knew the consequences of such a thing. Her blood would kill him—the energy rising up to kill, for he was not the one that she had first drank from.

Her head moved, the fangs pressing against the slightly moving flesh, and piercing through with ease. A growl moved through them both, delight causing them to shiver, before she buried her fangs deep into his neck. Thick, delicious blood filled her mouth quickly, slipping down her throat as she gulped hungrily. Her hands gripped Kaname tighter, her eyes slipping closed as she drank, a pleased moan managing to dribble out with the blood that she was not quick enough to drink. She took from him as he took from her, though, greedily allowing his blood to settle in her stomach and replenish what he was taking from her—and he did the same as he sucked harshly, drawing more blood into his mouth.

Kaname growled lightly, feeling the sting of her energy as it washed over his tongue and down into his stomach. He growled again at the feeling of her lustfully pressing against him, sucking from his neck as if it would be her last meal. He had unleashed her pent up urges, but along with it came the energy that was hidden so easily beneath her skin. It trickled down his throat, burning his lips and mouth, but he simply could not get enough of the pain as her blood brought him so much pleasure. He knew his eyes were beginning to bleed, but he wanted to fill his stomach completely before she managed to pull away from him and halt his actions.

She groaned at the feeling of him burying his fangs a bit more, pressing his mouth to the wound more. Through the haze and the blood, though, she knew that she must stop before she managed to lock herself forever in that position with him. Her urges were strong, but the energy swimming beneath her flesh told her that it was time for her to stop, before something went too far. So, with a small whimper, she pulled her fangs from the punctures she had created softly, and allowed her tongue to slip out and lap over the wounds roughly, forcing a few more precious drops out before they closed over.

Her head fell back again, feeling him clutch her to him, continuing to feed. The haze was becoming thicker, but she knew that she could not do what her body urged her to here—no, but she knew that the truth was undeniable, for eventually she would lose herself to the other urges for him. Her hand slipped up, taking hold of his hair, and pulled harshly, allowing a long, pained whimper to escape her throat. He growled, gulped, but eventually softened his hold, knowing that he had had his fill.

Kaname lifted his head, his eyes catching hers, before he reached his hand up to slide through the blood covering her chin. He appeared calm, but he had leaned in again, this time to lick at the blood that had escaped his greedy throat. He felt her do the same, cleaning the surface and searching for any drop she could find with her hungry tongue. The strokes of her tongue almost pushed him to sink his fangs deep into her flesh again, reopening the punctures, but he held himself against the urge, knowing that they would not stop then. She was so addictive, but he knew that she did not wish for such a thing to happen until she was certain—but the outcome was final.

Pulling herself away, she watched as Kaname did the same, the pureblood taking one final lap of her throat. However, she giggled slightly at the sight of him, watching as his eyes softened as she did so. "You always make such a mess," she chuckled, reaching up to brush her fingers through the blood dripping from his chin. "It is a wonder how you manage to get anything at all."

"You are not much better," he replied, watching as she moved to pull a white handkerchief from her pocket. He allowed her to reach up and wipe the blood from his face, though he had a strong urge to stop her, wanting each drop for himself. It was a waste, truly, for her sweet, sweet blood to dry on that pathetic piece of cloth. However, he ignored the urge, enjoying the feel of her fingers moving against his flesh, while watching his own blood slip down her throat the more she tilted her head back.

"I guess not," she smiled. Her smile twisted away into a small look of shock when he suddenly sucked her fingers into his mouth in the next instant, though. His face was still blank, but his eyes glowed as he rolled his tongue around the two digits he had managed to capture. No doubt he wanted the blood that had smeared onto the tips, but she knew that look well enough that he was enjoying her treatment and reaction, as well. It did not take much from his suckling mouth, before she dropped the handkerchief, uncaring of where it landed.

He delighted in her actions, her eyes glazing over as she watched him. His little butterfly was so easy to please, so easy to shock, even after all this time. He knew that he should stop, stop before it went too far, but he could not deny the urge that swelled in his chest. His hand reached up to grasp her wrist because of that urge, and when her fingers slipped from his mouth, he pulled her closer, leaning down to take a taste of his own blood.

She tilted her face the way that he wanted it, her eyes slipping closed, feeling his tongue run across her throat with retracing laps. A moan slipped from her when he moved upward, taking little licks at her chin, before smoothing his wet appendage across her cheek. He retraced his path only once, before her eyes opened, and she gazed into his own, soft and filled with affection. Another smile crossed her lips, as she allowed herself to indulge a bit, pressing her blood-covered lips to his, knowing that he would take the opportunity to finish his treat.

Kaname growled a bit, refusing to leave a drop of blood behind, even as he forced his tongue between her slightly parted lips. His tongue tangled with hers, his eyes slipping closed, as he felt her hands return to gripping his shirt.

"Alright, that's enough," a voice growled.

She gasped, pulling away from Kaname even as he tried to suck her tongue back down his throat. A thick blush crossed her cheeks, seeing two figures standing a bit in the shadows of the building nearby. Kaname turned a bit in her grasp, even as she tried to bury her face into his shirt, wishing that she had not been caught giving in. He was just so hard to ignore, to refuse, and she knew it was because of what he had given her.

"_Vampires_," the male hissed.

"Kiryu," Kaname greeted. His eyes shifted slightly, and a sigh left him at seeing his precious girl. However, he knew that though she had previously held feelings for him, her feelings were beginning to turn toward the male at her side more and more. The knowledge caused him to reach up and grasp the back of his little butterfly's head, knowing that she would never leave him; never stray away. "Miss Disciplinary Committee."

"Kaname," Yuki nodded. However, her eyes had not left the girl tucked into Kaname's chest, refusing to look at them. She had never known Kaname to lose so much control, so give in the way he just had, and she could not help but wonder who that female vampire was. "I—I think that you should… should…"

"Are you afraid, Yuki?" Kaname asked.

Kagome glanced up, though she felt her fingers grip Kaname's shirt tighter at the somewhat soft tone he used. She had never known to him act anything but kind, except when he was hunting, but there was something about the way he had spoken to that human. A soft growl filled her throat without her consent, and she felt his hand press her tighter against him. Her chest twisted, wondering what his relationship was with that human, and she felt her energy begin to crackle at the thought.

"Sh, my precious little butterfly," he mumbled softly.

Zero narrowed his eyes, "I think that you need to come with us, Kuran. I think the headmaster would like to know what you've been up to out here with your… _girlfriend_."

Kaname allowed his eyes to narrow a fraction, daring the former human to say what he really wished to. His lip lifted in challenge, but he knew that Kiryu was not that stupid. He might have been able to steal his precious girl's feelings from him, but he would not get away with insulting his little butterfly. When Kiryu did nothing, though, he brushed his fingers through Kagome's hair, and said, "If you think it best, Kiryu."

Yuki watched as Zero turned on his heel, ordering them to follow. Her shock—and, yes, she did feel a bit of fear course through her veins—still shivered down her spine, the fresh memory of fangs splitting into flesh passing through her mind. However, she managed to get herself to move, watching Kaname as he brushed his fingers through the female vampire's hair, leading her along behind Zero. And once again her curiosity rose, wondering whom the vampire was, and why she had seemed so human before she revealed her fangs.

* * *

Headmaster Cross perked up, a bright smile appearing on his face. "Oh, joy! You've arrived just in time! I just found your uniform, Higurashi-san! I do hope that it is the right size, since we had a few mishaps the last time they came. Everything was either too large or too small, and my dear, sweet vampires simply refused to trade or adjust them until new ones could be made." 

Zero scowled at the sound of his cheerful voice, before he growled. "She's one of _them_, isn't she?"

Yuki glanced at him, confusion filling her eyes. _What are you talking about, Zero? You already know she's a vampire, you said so yourself. What else could she be?_

"Whatever do you mean?" the headmaster blinked.

Zero clenched his hand, forcing himself to resist the urge to slam it against the desk in front of him. "Don't act stupid," he replied, "you know what I'm talking about! She smells like a vampire, but I felt that energy. What the hell are you thinking bringing one of her kind here?"

"Zero," Headmaster Cross said calmly, "Higurashi-san's energy has been contained by Kuran-san's blood. She is not a danger to anyone, you know that."

"Damn it," Zero hissed. "You know what will happen if someone else decides they want a bite. Kuran will go berserk, and her blood will turn them to _dust_. You won't be able to keep that from the Day Class, you know that."

"As President of the Night Class, Kuran-san will be able to control any unauthorized biting that might come close to happening," the headmaster smiled. "After all, Higurashi-san will be in the Night Class, and I'm sure that she will remember that only Kuran-san can bite her without consequences. And I'm sure that Kuran-san will keep her close if the others decide that they can try to show advances toward her."

"What are you talking about?" Yuki finally asked. "Why would they try to bite her? And why would they turn to dust?"

Headmaster Cross glanced at his adoptive daughter with a soft eye. "I had forgotten you do not know most of what we are speaking of, Yuki. Tell me, do you know anything about the levels that vampires are categorized in?"

She nodded, "I was told that purebloods are the highest level, and it ranks down until Level E, where former humans lose themselves to their bloodlust."

"That's right," he replied. "However, what is not so well known is there is another level. One that is set outside of the pyramid, for it is very rare to find one that can be categorized into that level. This level would be directly next to the highest level, with purebloods, though."

"Another level?" Yuki asked.

"That's right," he smiled. "This level consists of rare, holy vampires."

"Holy vampires?" Yuki blinked. "What is the difference between a vampire and one that is holy?"

"We were once humans with high levels of spiritual powers," Kagome spoke up. "All beings have a level of spiritual energy, but holy vampires are former humans that had very high levels. It might not be known to the human, unless they have been trained to control and manipulate that energy, but once they have been bitten by a pureblood—once they begin to turn, their energy strikes out at the holy vampire who bit them, and then turns upon the former human."

Zero frowned, "I've only heard of them in legends and tales, since there are so few these days—"

"There are three of us," Kagome replied quickly.

"—but they are said to be stronger than normal vampires. They are said to be on the same level with purebloods. Is that true?" he narrowed his eyes again.

"We have our defenses and our powers, but I cannot be the one to answer that," Kagome said. "After all, who am I to say that I am on the same level as a pureblood vampire, when I am not one myself?"

"That's avoiding the question," Zero snapped.

Yuki glanced at him sharply, opening her mouth to tell him to be a little nicer. She wanted to know as much as she could about this strange vampire, one who made someone like Kaname lose all control, but that might not happen if he continued to be so rude. However, she found no need to speak when the pureblood began to, a slight edge adding to his voice.

"Kagome might not seem very strong, but I would not put her on a level lower than mine, Kiryu." Kaname frowned, reaching out to brush his hand through Kagome's hair once more. His little butterfly was being so very quiet now, looking up at him with a small, questionable glance.

Another question rose in Yuki's mind at the gesture. "Why—why did you bite her, Kaname?"

Kaname looked up, debating what he should tell her.

"Because," Kagome spoke up, "though I do not like to be viewed as a possession, I belong to Kaname. He is my savior, the one who sealed away the power that would have killed me. He gave me new life, and in return I give him the gift of experiencing my power coursing into his body. It is described as very unique and addictive, because the one who saved a holy vampire is able to feel the shock of death, but know that it will not grasp them in that moment."

"He saved you?" Yuki asked, her eyes widening.

"Yes, because that is the curse of our birth. Unless we have the will to live, to allow ourselves to be bitten by a vampire strong enough to resist purification, our energy will remain untamed, wild, and eventually kill us while changing," Kagome nearly whispered. "Kaname is the one who saved me, who stopped the fire from raging, so he is the only one who can take my blood and bring forth my true nature."

"Why would he need to do that, though?"

"_Holy_ vampires," Zero spat, "receive the gift of appearing human, of being able to choose whether they become nocturnal, and whether they wish to walk among humans because they do not have the normal urges that former humans get. Once they have chosen life, their energy gives them those gifts, because it holds down the urges, the bloodlust, wishing to live, but still knowing its true nature to kill any who are tainted. It's said that energy can only be unlocked by the vampire who sealed it, because it somehow recalls the familiarity in the vampire's own spiritual energy—anyone else who tries is killed, turned to dust in their own greed."

"Yes, and that is why I belong to Kaname. He is the only one that I will drink from, because I refuse to harm others, and he is the only one who can unlock the urge to feed from within me," Kagome smiled softly.

Headmaster Cross looked up, having remained silent during the discussion. Yuki looked ready to ask another question, but he quickly cut her off. "Look at the time!" he said. "The Night Class should be returning soon, which means the Day Class will be up and ready for the shift. I do believe that the members of the disciplinary committee should be there in order to keep the Day Class girls are getting too excited."

Zero snorted.

Yuki blinked, her mouth slightly open, a question hanging on her tongue. However, she was not able to ask as Kaname and Kagome excused themselves, Kagome retrieving her uniform from the headmaster and thanking him before they moved from the room.

She found herself keeping the girls in the Day Class in line soon after, as the Night Class moved back to the Moon Dorm. She found that many of the girls were confused by the appearance of a new girl—one they had not seen when the Night Class came out at dusk—gliding soundlessly at Kaname's side. Her uniform was in place, the crisp white colors contrasting with her raven hair and causing her blue eyes to shine as she smiled. As they moved, many of the girls who had wished for Kaname's affections began to whine.

It was very clear, it could not be denied, that there was more between them than they wished to let on. Yuki saw that, and she hoped that they would be happy—as happy as she felt whenever she was with Zero.

_--Fin_


	58. Words: Bankotsu

_**Title:** Words_

_**Summary:** He is constantly away and that makes her slightly bitter, but what can she do when he twists his words so sweetly?_

**Pairing:** Bankotsu/Kagome

**Anime:** Inuyasha (IY)

* * *

She gazed into the mirror, watching as Sayuri combed through her hair again and again, twisting and pulling in order to get it into the style she thought was best. However, it was not the best distraction, and a small sigh escaped her lips, which caused the fox-like ears on Sayuri's head to twitch. Almost instantly Sayuri stopped working, setting the comb to the side, and touched her shoulder in a comforting manner.

"You should not be so tense, Kagome-sama," she said softly, her pretty gray eyes softening. "I am sure that this time Shimizu-sama will come. He promised, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did," Kagome replied, "but he has promised before."

"I'm sure that soon the war will be over, Kagome-sama," Sayuri continued. "Once it is, Shimizu-sama will have no excuse to be gone during his courting. He is a good warrior, but I have often heard from his personal servant that he misses being by your side whenever he must leave."

"Sometimes I have to wonder," Kagome sighed. "I do not even know if he will be here tonight. He might be riding in, or he might decide at the last minute that this is the perfect time to strike his enemy. He has done it before, Sayuri, what would stop him from doing it his time?"

Sayuri bent down, placing her cheek against that of her friend. Staring into her eyes from the mirror, she smiled a little, and said, "Perhaps the thought of being with his pretty girl will stop him, Kagome-sama. I hear often that he misses you during the long trips, whether it be by day or by night, and often tries to tell many of the soldiers tales about you that they have already heard. He speaks of you much more than you realize, he loves you, and he knows that this day is special to you. I believe that will stop him."

She smiled as well, and said, "Perhaps you are right, Sayuri."

Sayuri straightened herself, and quickly went back to work on Kagome's hair. "You will see, Kagome-sama. Your love will come," she said. "But, if he does not, I will make sure that he understands many of his nights will be cold once you marry. Unless, of course, you wish for him to receive another punishment, Kagome-sama, for truly it is your choice."

"If we marry," Kagome grinned. "That has not been decided yet."

"Oh, I do hate it whenever you deny the inevitable, Kagome-sama," Sayuri chuckled. "First you denied that Shimizu-sama had any feelings, whether toward you or otherwise, and now you deny the fact that he loves you enough for marriage. Whatever shall we do with you, Kagome-sama?"

"Whatever it is," Kagome grinned, "I hope you do not throw me out in the rain."

Sayuri's gray eyes twinkled with laughter. "Ah, it is never good to give the punisher ideas, Kagome-sama. Never good, indeed," she laughed. "But, I would not throw you out in the rain, for it would ruin this pretty kimono. Then Shimizu-sama would have nothing to look forward to, unless you wished to present yourself in a yukata—"

Kagome blushed, and quickly hid her face in her hands. She listened as Sayuri laughed at her, obviously taking joy in her pain. However, even if she was, she was happy to have the small distraction from the feelings that were coursing through her body. She loved Shimizu Bankotsu, she did, but she often wondered how much he loved her.

* * *

"Come now, Kagome-sama," Sayuri smiled, "I heard that Shimizu-sama has arrived from one of the guards. They say that he is being prepared for the celebration, for the rain has soaked him to the bone. However, they said that they were caught in it, and Shimizu-sama should be fine once he is dried off."

"I was _not_ concerned with his health," Kagome huffed. "I do not know where you continue to get these ideas, Sayuri."

Sayuri laughed to herself, for she rather enjoyed whenever her lady tried to act indifferent to things. "Perhaps not, but I know that you often worry about the health of your brother whenever he is caught within a storm. Why would that worry not transfer to your love, as well?" she asked softly, her voice carrying a bit of mirth.

A rosy blush spread across Kagome's face, and she turned her head away from the woman. After a moment, she mumbled, "He is merely the man courting me, Sayuri, that does not mean that I love him."

"Hn, it seems that I might have to throw you out in the rain, Kagome-sama," Sayuri laughed. "You should not lie to yourself, or one who has been by your side for so long. After all, I know many things about you, Kagome-sama—many that you might not even realize yourself."

Kagome frowned, for it was true. Sayuri had been at her side since she was young, and the hanyou most likely knew many things that she was not willing to tell. She liked to hold secrets, much to Kagome's irritation, even if they were about the one that she served. Sayuri often said that though she knew it, she needed to figure it out on her own before her heart would believe it.

"But I shall throw you out once the celebration is over," Sayuri sighed. "I do not wish to ruin such a fine piece of art, especially when your mother spent so much time in creating the design. No, I will not be the one responsible for that, but should you utter another word about having no feelings for Shimizu-sama, I will have Hosyu throw you out."

She smirked, "And then I shall tell mother, once she asks for the one responsible, that you were the one who asked him. Mother will not be so blind, since she will eventually see that it was your devious nature that forced Hosyu-san to bring trouble upon himself."

"Oh, you are a cruel person to serve, Kagome-sama," Sayuri chuckled. "But, let us not talk about that now, I do believe that we should begin heading out. It will take only a few minutes to reach the hall your mother has had prepared, but it is never wrong for you to arrive early."

Kagome nodded in agreement, a smile playing on her lips.

* * *

Sayuri glanced up, her ears twitching a bit. She then leaned into the male at her side, and whispered, "Come, Hosyu, let us be off for a bit."

Hosyu glanced down at the female, and frowned, "I do not think that is wise. I was told to protect Kagome-sama, since she is—"

"Yes, I know," Sayuri scowled. "However, we must be off."

"Perhaps, if you gave me a better reason than simply demanding it," Hosyu replied.

"Shimizu-sama has arrived," Sayuri growled. "I do not wish for us to stand here while he speaks with her, because he often says nothing when servants are about. There could be many spies, Hosyu, and Shimizu-sama is not stupid enough to possibly tell Kagome-sama something important when there are others about."

Hosyu did not look convinced. "There are many here for the celebration of Kagome-sama's birth. Shimizu-sama will have to take her away from here if he wishes for such a thing, for many are demon, even if only a little. Your logic is diluted, Sayuri, for I will not leave my lady's side when there are many who could be spies or enemies about. Not for you, and not for Shimizu-sama's comfort."

Sayuri frowned deeply, before crossing her arms. He had a point, but she also knew that Shimizu-sama hated to say anything romantic while she was around. He was a strange male, but she supposed that it was because she had often had a way of telling emotions, and he did not wish to share his with her. "And what will Kagome-sama think of you," she countered, "when I tell her that you refused to allow her a moments peace with the man she loves? Especially when that man is a strong warrior who can protect Kagome-sama should the need arise?"

Hosyu narrowed his eyes, "That is cruel, Sayuri. I hold affection for Kagome-sama only because I have protected her as my ward for many years."

"You still hold affection for her either way, don't you?" Sayuri snickered. "Kagome-sama will not be angry, but she will be disappointed that you did not give her even a second to be alone with her love. What will you do when Kagome-sama refuses to speak more than a few words with you, Hosyu?"

"Shut up, wench," Hosyu hissed, "I shall go, but only for a short while. And, do not think that because I have left I do not know of my lady's movements. I shall know if she is about to be attacked, or if that warrior decides to lay his hands on what is not yet his."

"Oh, jealous are you, Hosyu?" Sayuri asked.

"Conniving wench," Hosyu growled, before turning on his heel to leave.

Sayuri glanced in the direction he had left, before silently leaving her lady's side, as well. She would need her time with Shimizu-sama, for she knew that Kagome-sama doubted Shimizu-sama's word—his love. And she knew that only Shimizu-sama himself could manage to make such things leave her head, for he often needed to wrap his pretty words around Kagome-sama's mind to calm her fears. He was loyal in body, yes, but not in presence many times over, and she hoped because of that the war would soon end.

* * *

A voice whispered into her ear, "Hello, love."

Turning, she glanced up at the handsome face of the one courting her, before scowling at the small smirk on his devilishly handsome features. He was always one to make her shiver when he spoke the first time, and always tried to. He once said that it was because he loved to see her shake, and though he would not give the reason he loved to see her shake, she assumed that it had to do with something sexual that she did not wish to know of anyway. "Hello."

"How are you this eve?"

"I am quite fine," she replied. "How are you, Shimizu-san? I heard that you were caught in the rain while coming here, and it is quite obvious from your still drying hair. Do you feel at all ill?"

"I told you to stop calling me Shimizu-san," he muttered. "You may call me anything but that, but I would prefer if you called me Bankotsu, as I have often said."

"It is not proper in a place such as this, though," she countered.

"It seems you have me there, love," Bankotsu smirked, "but I will find a way to stop you sooner or later. I always do."

She did not comment on it, knowing that it was true. "You did not answer my question, Shimizu-san. Are you sure you are well? You do not need to be here at my expense if you feel at all ill."

"I see no better place to be," Bankotsu replied. "I will be given free sake should I ask for it, and I get to spend time in the company of my beautiful companion. Besides, if I continued to dodge each minute we could have with each other, how would I ever win your hand in the end, Kagome?"

"With your looks?" she giggled.

"Ah," Bankotsu nodded, "but my looks are nothing compared to yours."

"I—"

He pulled his fingers from her lips, saying, "Nonsense, all of it, Kagome. Do not try to deny what you were about to say, for I know that you wished to tell me you are not as beautiful as I say. However, you are wrong, for your beauty could easily capture the hearts of the most cold hearted of men should you decide to glance in their direction. In fact, you are so beautiful that it seems you took it from the stars, the moon, and the rest of the night sky that I often gaze upon."

"Shimizu-san," she blinked, a blush rising to her cheeks.

"I have missed you," Bankotsu softly admitted. "I often tell our allies of you, and they all think that I am a love-struck fool. I tell them I am nothing of the sort, and prove it on the battlefield, but now, as I gaze upon you, I have to wonder. Tell me, Kagome, have you entrapped me simply for this purpose? So that I will think often of you, wonder about my behavior while you're not there, and humiliate myself when I speak of you to the ones who once feared me? I have to know, for you very well could have—you used to hate me, after all."

"I have done nothing of the sort," Kagome blushed. "I would not think of making you look anything less than what you are while in battle. I might have disliked you, but I have never hated you, Shimizu-san. If I had, I would not have allowed you the chance at my heart."

"That is good to know, love. Now, when I think of you, I will know it is because I am simply trapped within your charm and beauty," Bankotsu smiled. "And, I believe that is much better than being trapped within a spell designed to perhaps kill me in the end."

"I would never wish death upon you," she whispered, leaning closer.

"I know, love," he said, bringing his hand up to brush across her cheek. "You could never wish death upon anyone, even if they were your sworn enemy. You are far too kind—which is perhaps another reason that I cannot pull myself from the spell you have unknowingly woken about me."

"I would not wish for spells, either," she continued.

"Ah, but I would," Bankotsu smirked. "I see nothing better than being trapped within your spell, Kagome. What else is there, besides women who are greedy for money, and those who are not worthy to step into your light?"

"A strong, battle ready woman that would stand bravely at your side?" she mocked. "One who will go to the ends of the earth in order to see that your life is never taken. One who will show strength and wisdom, but fall once you have asked her to do so."

Bankotsu's smirk widened, "Perhaps."

She raised a hand to cover her heart, saying, "You would leave me for such a woman?"

"Tsk, tsk, love," Bankotsu mocked back, "I never said such a thing. I said that perhaps there is a woman that would follow my steps into battle, defend my back when it is turned to the enemy. However, why would I wish to have such a woman? I prefer to know that my lady is safe and cared for, and when the nights have been stretched to the fullest, I will have her waiting to embrace me upon first sight."

"So, you are an evil being that wishes to lock me away?" she asked. Her eyes glittered in amusement, happy to have such a game played with her. He always knew how to lighten her day, and though she had not liked him very much upon their first meeting, she was happy for that, as well. "You would keep me meek, docile, and under your control as I wait for your return? Cold, lonely in the long nights, only wishing that the one I saw so little of would come running back into my awaiting arms?"

His hand gripped onto her chin. "No, love. I would never wish you meek and docile, but as you are. You're temper is something that will keep me running back whenever I am able, because I know the more I cause it to rise, the more exciting our time together will be."

"You do not deny wishing to lock me away, though?" Kagome taunted.

"Oh, love," Bankotsu chuckled. "I do not deny entertaining the thought of keeping your beauty for only my eyes. But, to lock you away would be like depriving a flower of the sunlight it must have in order to grow and hold firm to the beauty it possesses. Never in my wildest dreams would I wish for you to wilt as a flower would, because in that moment I would be destroying what I love."

Kagome leaned into his touch. "You truly are selfish to think only of yourself when it comes to my beauty. To wish only to keep my beauty alive because you could not entertain the thought of not being able to possess it yourself is very selfish. Very selfish, indeed."

"Ah, but that only shows how far you have pulled me into your web," he chuckled again. "For never before have I felt the need to possess something with such strength. Yet now I find myself unable to deny that I would wish nothing about you to die, love. I want you to remain as you are always; no matter how selfish that is of me. I want to be able to think and tell of what I possess; no matter how selfish that is of me. But, I wish not for you to think me selfish, Kagome, simply deeply in love with you."

She leaned into him a bit more, stating, "Kiss me, Bankotsu. Quickly, before Hosyu-san decides to show his face and put a stop to your temptations."

His smirk returned tenfold, as he replied, "I had planned to, love."

Sayuri smiled from her hidden position off to the left of them. She glanced around the room, finding Hosyu's form easily, and snickered when she saw him go rigid. He had obviously seen the privileges Shimizu-sama was taking with their lady, kissing her in such a way, and was determined to put a stop to it. However, she decided that she would allow him to do as he wished now, for her lady's mind had been appeased by the little game her male had strung. Now, if only she could make her see how much she truly loved him.

_--Fin_


	59. A Fine Line: Yakushi Kabuto

_**Title:** A Fine Line_

_**Summary:** He has found that there is a fine line between love and hate. Knowing his orders, but feeling his heart scream so, Kabuto has been placed into a state of indecision._

**Pairing:** Kabuto/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

"Go on already," she growled. "Kill me. That's what you're here for, isn't it?"

Kabuto's eyes glinted dangerously at her words, his hand pressing a bit more into her neck. A simple flick of his fingers and she would fall dead, yet he found himself wondering whether or not he should do so. To destroy such beauty would be a shame, yet he knew that he should not linger in this place for much longer.

"Well?" she mocked him. "Are you going to do it or what?"

"Don't tempt me," he snarled, "_Higurashi_."

A smirk lifted onto her lips, catching his eye. "Oh, what happened to Kagome?" she asked. "You seemed quite keen on using my first name earlier, but suddenly you feel the need to call me by my surname. What happened, Kabuto, did you have a change of heart?"

"You know," he reminded her, "the more you talk, the more I feel the need to kill you."

"I seriously doubt it," she laughed. "I have known for quite some time that you're Orochimaru's lapdog—that your mission is to take my life for Otogakure. I let you travel at my side because I doubted you were truly that evil. And I am still quite sure about my decision, since you know Orochimaru will know the instant you don't kill me, yet still you hesitate."

Kabuto knew that she was correct, because Orochimaru would know when this miko did not fall. The Sannin had wanted her to stand at his side when he took over the body of Uchiha Sasuke, but the miko had denied him more times than one. Then, she had made the fatal mistake of helping Uchiha Sasuke escape Orochimaru's clutches, spitting in the Sannin's face for the last time. Now, Orochimaru wanted nothing more than her death—to see her broken body lying in a pool of her own blood. Yet, the Sannin refused to do it himself, shuddering each time he allowed her title to follow from his lips.

He was not sure how Orochimaru did it, but each time he reported to him, the Sannin demanded the reason he had yet to kill her. Kabuto was not blind, he knew they were not being followed, yet Orochimaru _knew_ each and _every_ time that the miko was _still_ not dead. Something about the way he knew, and the way he appeared even more frightened each time he reported to him, told Kabuto the true reason Orochimaru had wanted her power. It told Kabuto almost everything, because he now knew the reason Orochimaru wanted her dead so badly.

The Sannin was _afraid_ of her power.

His glowing hand twitched as he looked deeply into the woman's dark blue eyes. He was not a common fool who would suddenly fall in love because he _fell_ into her eyes, but he shivered at the power he saw lingering there. He was not foolish—he, too, feared the near extinct energy swarming beneath her flesh—and he knew that if anyone could put an end to Orochimaru, it would be her. It would be her light that erased Orochimaru's life from the land, as if wiping it clean of the stain that had formed there. And he knew without a doubt that she could do so, because though she had yet to try, her power had been immense enough to put an end to three members of Akatsuki.

So, Kabuto wondered if perhaps that was what stayed his hand. If, _perhaps_, that was the reason that he had yet to destroy the life now within his grasp. He could certainly understand that reasoning, since having her allied to him would mean he would no longer have to pretend for that blasted old fool. He would no longer have to appear as if he was completely loyal, as if he cared whether or not the _great_ Orochimaru lived or died. He would _no longer_ have to do his bidding, or the bidding of anyone else, because there would be no one who would dare even _think_ they could control him.

"You sure are slow," the woman sighed impatiently. "If you're going to kill someone, you should kill them. Not stand in front of them as if you're debating on whether or not to torture them, or let them go. I mean, _seriously_, do you know how many times I could have escaped by now?"

Yet he also knew that his chest tightened a bit as he stared into her challenging orbs. It had continued to do so for quite some time, but he had ignored it, pushing away the emotion. He was not entirely certain what the feeling was, since he had always done everything in his power to hide his true emotions. It almost _hurt_ whenever he reported to Orochimaru, telling him that he would complete his mission in due time. However, he knew that he was being ridiculous, because never in his life had his chest tightened in such a way to the point that it was almost painful. There was no reason for this woman to bring out such feelings when no other had ever been able to do such a thing.

Gods, though, he should hate this woman's very existence. He loathed the feeling in his chest each time that she managed to show off her skill before him, each time that her shining light spread over his flesh. He hated the fact that she had probably cast a spell upon him, for he knew the emotion had come upon him long before he had known of her power to destroy Orochimaru. Despite the fact that often times he wondered why he did not simply shove a kunai through her heart as she slept, he could not bring himself to hate her entirely. Though the darkness that surrounded him spat and shrank back at her light, he could not bring himself to wish her death.

She had extended her hand in friendship to a teen that wished nothing but revenge upon his kin, thus ridding him of the curse placed upon his life. She had traveled far from Otogakure in search of a soul that she believed needed her, thus giving a former monster another reason to stand strong. She had touched the life of a boy that had found himself dying, sending life back into his veins. She had moved with purpose to the side of a girl that would have lost the demon sealed inside of her, and destroyed the life of three men who she believed had lost their way in the process. She had cast her light upon the land, causing the darkness to shrink back in fear.

He had watched with each incident, with each movement, as she brought near miracles to lives almost lost, but never asked for anything in return. He had watched as she shook her head, smiling, telling them that she wished only for them to be her friend and live life to the fullest. He had watched, waiting for the right opportunity for her barriers to fall, while she caused a fire to burn brightly in each soul that she saved simply because she was able to. And, secretly, he had respected her greatly, though he knew that he had been given the command to take her light and smother it.

"You're right, Higurashi," Kabuto chuckled. "One should kill their opponent, rather than sit around talking about it."

"Then why aren't you killing me?" she questioned.

He shifted his hand. A single touch and her life would crumble, her light blinking out of sight. It would be that simple. A quick, painless death that would come upon her without her ever realizing what had happened. After all, he did not wish to prolong her life by making it painful, for she could retaliate before he was given a chance to complete the torture and kill her. There was no telling how her power would react to him, so he did not wish to give her even the smallest chance to strike back at him.

"Why, Kabuto?" she asked, shifting forward into his hand. She was not surprised when he began to pull it back in hesitation when she almost touched him. "Why do you hesitate?"

His body acted on instinct, retreating when she pressed toward him. His chest tightened, something in the back of his mind whimpering when she nearly gave herself into the hands of death. Was she truly foolish enough to seek death? Was she asking for him to kill her because she wanted to die? He did not have an answer, and he would not ask it of her, while listening to his body's nature reaction. Damn it, why did it hesitate to take the opportunity she happily gave to him? Why did he not simply allow her to commit suicide with her movement?

"Kabuto…" she muttered softly, drawing out his name. "Tell me, are you afraid? Afraid to kill me?" She pressed herself forward again, watching as he shifted backwards. There was enough room for her to escape, but she did not take the exit given to her, continuing to give him the chance to take her life. She knew, though, he heart told her, that this man was not as lost as the man he took orders from. He would, her heart told her, step away from the darkness that he was dabbling in, rather than allow it to embrace him completely.

He scoffed at the idea, but felt the emotion twisted in his chest as he thought about doing such a thing. He almost understood, considering if this little slip of a woman could frighten Orochimaru and kill members of Akatsuki, she was powerful and to be feared. She might show kindness to anyone that crosses her path, but she was to be feared. Therefore, he did not understand the reason why he hesitated, since it was clear that he should _not_ kill her, but instead ally himself to her—draw from the fear she cast into the hearts of many and rise himself above them.

Slowly, as he considered the idea of using her for his own benefit, of betraying Orochimaru, he retracted his hand from her throat. The twisting in his chest began to recede the further his hand moved from her slender throat. Of course, it was not the first time that the thought had crossed his mind, but this was certainly the first time he had truly considered the idea. If he trapped her within his web so that she would not protest, he could easily surpass the strength that even the leader of Akatsuki possessed. With that strength, it would be as easy as flicking his fingers to cause fools who feared him to quake in the knees.

A knowing smile stretched onto her face, "Are you… having a change of heart?"

Once again he snarled, "Don't _tempt_ me, Higurashi." The feeling in his chest did not hurt any longer, but he loathed it when it decided now was the perfect opportunity to warm. His body was relaxing, though he had yet to dispel his jutsu in case he decided to change his mind. "I might have decided to let you live for now, but do not think it does not come at a price."

"A price?" she laughed. "I could have easily escaped you, I doubt that you can back up this price you want."

Kabuto raised his hand again, despite the pain forming in his chest again. His eyes gleamed dangerously through his glasses, as he slowly wiggled his fingers in her face. Surely she would know that the situation could easily turn sour for her if she decided to deny him. He was not Orochimaru, and he _would_ kill her the first time she denied him what he wanted.

She smiled at him, the danger lying beneath it clear in the simple gesture. However, she turned her head slightly when she felt a tug at her soul. A sigh passed her lips softly, because she wished that this world was not so prone to killing. Yes, it was human instinct to rise above others in order to be on top, much like an alpha dog, but this place took it to the limit. "I don't have time for this," she said, raising her hand to knock his aside.

Kabuto's eyes widened only a bit when her glowing pink hand moved his aside without consequence. The action shifted who was in control, since it was clear that the miko had never feared him taking her life. Despite this fact, though, he was determined as she walked away from him to take control once more. He hated the pain in his chest when he thought of killing her, and he wanted to hate her for causing it, but he wanted to see Orochimaru fall. He wanted to control her power.

He wanted to control her, and that almost gave him joy.

_--Fin_


	60. A Good Rubbin’: Hitsugaya Toshiro

_**Title:** A Good Rubbin'_

_**Summary:** He felt it was below him, undignified, but he could not deny that it was exactly what he needed._

**Pairing:** Hitsugaya/Kagome

**Anime:** Bleach/IY

* * *

He remained completely still, nodding at appropriate times as the other shinigami relayed his message. He managed to keep his face stoic, unmoved by the information, but he wanted to twitch _so_ badly. Instead, he began to tap his foot in annoyance, and the other shinigami stiffened, obviously getting the hint. However, his mind was not on the suddenly stuttering shinigami.

What in the _world_ did that woman think she was doing!

Her hands were soft. But, damn it, now was not the time for her to be touching him. He had raised his spiritual pressure so the other shinigami could not detect her, but she clearly wanted to make things difficult. Clearly, because her tender touch threatened to make him melt beneath her hands, though he stiffened a bit more.

Damn Rangiku for suggesting such a thing. He had known it was a bad idea to listen to her. Yet he had, thinking that it could not hurt to get a little attention when his frustration rose. His eyebrow twitched, because he was going to make sure he got Rangiku back for this. It was a shame he could not kill her.

It was all Rangiku's fault—plain and simple.

His back straightened a bit more when her touch intensified. He could feel his focus falling away from the shinigami before him and settling on the pleasure shooting through his body. He wanted to melt into the seat as her touch became more forceful, but immediately stopped himself from doing so. It would be childish and immature to do so over something so simple, especially in front of a shinigami beneath him.

Feeling his eyes beginning to droop, he turned the expression into a glare very quickly. The shinigami caught beneath his heated stare practically paniced, but he paid him no mind. He hated to admit it, but he _really_ did not want her to stop. She was forcing him onto unforgivable ground, true, but he was beginning to _really_ hope she did not stop touching him. Her hands were so soft, even through the fabric of his kimono, and he _loved_ it.

"U-um, Hit—"

"You may leave," he replied in response. He did not watch the other shinigami leave, his eyes focused ahead of him. Then, as he distantly heard the door slide closed, he pressed his foot against the ground and pushed his chair backward. He easily pulled his lower body and the woman from beneath his desk.

Instantly her eyes snapped to his and she glared. He was almost surprised, because he had never known a fourth squadron member to show such animosity. He had not seen one that showed such a large temper. "You know," she growled, "it is rather rude to shove people into small spaces."

"Do _you_ know," he replied with a question, "that it is you duty to follow the orders of your superiors?" There was simply no way he was going to keep the subject on himself. He had done nothing wrong. If anyone had, it was her for doing such a thing to him while he was supposed to be paying attention.

She appeared almost guilt ridden when he mentioned not following orders. However, with a blush staining her face, she said, "_Oh_, do forgive me, Hitsugaya-taichou, but you appeared so tense. I thought it might help."

Anger appeared in his eyes and he almost wanted to stomp his foot. "Well, it didn't!" he scowled. How dare she think touching him would help while he was underneath the stare of someone who could quickly open his fat mouth? Of course, he could have easily threatened the other shinigami, but it would have been rather hard with her turning his brain to goo.

"Don't get snippy with me!" she snapped. "I was only doing my job!"

"How so?" he asked harshly.

"You sent for someone, you should know!" Her voice rose, her temper showing as she leaned upward into his face. "You asked for someone who could help you with the frustration and tense muscles, and I was doing _just_ as you requested! Or is that not good enough for you, Hitsugaya-taichou?"

"I _told_ you to stay quiet and hidden!" he replied angrily. If she proved to be anymore trouble than she was worth—

"I'm not your lapdog!" she spat.

"I never said you were!" he yelled.

"Well, good!" came her intelligent reply.

Frustrated with her, Hitsugaya Toshiro put his face into his hand. He then ran his fingers through his white hair as he glared angrily at her. She should have just listened to his order and this would have never happened. He would not have raised his voice, which he was sure someone had heard, and he could have been enjoying the motions of her hands _now_.

He wanted to yell, stomp his foot like a child no matter how undignified the act was, and kick her out. However, the feel of her hands still pressing against his thighs halted the idea. Such _soft_ hands. His traitorous body wanted to feel them again, no matter how much more stress she had given him. And, damn it, he was not going to deny himself the pleasure when he needed it the most.

"Get back to work," he snapped, barely glancing at her from the corner of his eye. However, he was pleased when she rose and sighed in silent agreement. Already he was beginning to relax, especially when she rounded his chair and placed her hands on his shoulders. His traitorous body knew the pleasure she would bring him and even if he had to put up with her for a little longer he would get it.

"Alright," she agreed, wondering why she _always_ got the stubborn cases. "Lets start again, shall we? My name is Kagome, Hitsugaya-taichou." She paused, before adding, "And it is _very_ clear to me why you need a nice, good rubbin'."

Hitsugaya Toshiro stiffened under her hands, as other physical activities came to mind with her words. He shut his eyes, trying to forget them, even as he lost himself to the feel of her hands releasing the tension from his aching muscles. However, her choice of words had been terrible and the thoughts would not leave his head.

_Damn her_.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ I know that this one is really short, but it hit me as I was trying to sleep last night. I forgot to upload it before class, but I hope that it pleases people to see a new one-shot up, though it was _not_ the one I was originally going to do. I keep trying to continue my Miroku/Kagome one and it is just not flowing the way I wish it would. Stupid muse, always jumping around on me.

Kiba


	61. Proving Otherwise: Hiei

_**Title:**__ Proving Otherwise_

_**Summary:**__ He insulted her in front of their friends, so she's taking it into her own hands to prove him wrong, no matter how much it embarrasses him—though, she doubts he can be embarrassed in the first place._

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Anime:** YYH/IY

* * *

She smiled, listening to the stories that were passed around the small circle of friends they made. She would comment here and there, but she was more intent to listen than anything else. She enjoyed telling stories, but at the moment she was more than happy to listen to the tales of triumph that came from Yusuke; the woes that Keiko had felt when Yusuke died; the hint of magic and trickery in the old life of Youko; and many of the other things that they decided to bring up and laugh about at the moment. She had not been there with them when most of it had happened, but she was woven into the stories all the same.

"So, this guy put up a fight?" Yusuke asked Botan.

Botan chuckled, "Oh, yes. I remember how his soul struggled when he died. He tried to deny it again and again, but I told that blasted old pervert that his time had come and that Koenma was ready to see him. After that he tried to run away, _and_ tried to grab a bunch of women's breasts while he was doing so!"

"What happened afterward, Botan?" Yukina asked politely.

Botan's eyes burned with a passion. "That blasted old pervert grabbed my butt when I tried to bring his soul in, that's what happened. I knocked him upside the head so fast he didn't even get a chance to know what hit him. I'm not sure what Koenma did with him after that, he might have been put up for reincarnation by now."

She giggled, unable to hold in the laughter that was threatening to spill out of her. The others were looking at her, she was sure, but she could not contain the laughter for much longer when it began to fill the air. She gasped for breath, trying to breathe, and failed quite miserably at doing so.

Yukina smiled at the happy sound, her eyes turning to the miko hunched over in laughter. "Are you alright, Kagome-chan?" she asked, worried a bit for her friend's health. Laughter did help, but that much might harm her if she did not learn how to breathe again soon. And she did remember that Kagome had fainted the first time she had come across them, and a few times afterward, so she was always careful to watch for the signs.

Kagome nodded, a huge smile plastered across her face. Nearly choking, she said, "Y-yes. It's just that w-when I was traveling to the feudal e-era there was this monk. H-he liked to grab every girl's butt he could. I'm sorry; I j-just remembered my friend Sango hitting him with her Hiraikotsu and put Botan in her place w-with her oar. Hilarious."

Botan scowled at the mention of the monk, before saying, "Which reminds me! That had been the third time that someone had tried to cop a feel with me. And they were all descendants to that stupid Miroku!" She huffed, crossed her arms, and grumbled, "It's all your fault, Kagome-chan. If you and Sango hadn't encouraged that blasted monk, he wouldn't have encouraged his children, and they wouldn't have encouraged their children! Which means that I wouldn't have gotten my butt grabbed by the same bloodline of people three times in about two centuries."

Kagome straightened up, glaring at Botan playfully, "I didn't encourage him. I hit him upside the head whenever he decided my butt was his own personal plaything, and Sango hit him twice as hard afterward. If anything, you encouraged them, Botan."

Botan pouted, "How so?"

"By being an easy target!" Kagome cheered.

Botan gave a fake gasp of disbelief as Kagome said this and listened as everyone in the room laughed afterward. She smiled, because she was glad to have the miko in their little group. It gave her another female to talk to and the miko was often times more playful than the other girls around her. Botan almost wanted to shake her head, because she knew from Koenma that the master illusionist underneath the foot of Lord Sesshoumaru had gone out in search of the miko almost as soon as she returned from her journey. The fox demon, Shippo, had certainly rubbed off on the miko, and there were often times when she wondered whether or not Kagome was not a fox demon in disguise herself.

However, Botan's eyes slid away from the group to the window nearby and snickered. The little demon sitting there denied wanting anything to do with them at this moment, and especially denied liking her friend whenever the subject arose. But Botan knew better, she saw through things like that after years of working with the dead. Botan found the situation as hilarious as Kagome found her beating on Miroku's descendants, since she knew it was only a matter of time before the little demon exploded in rage or frustration.

Kurama coughed politely, drawing their attention to him. They stared expectantly, as if waiting for him to start up on another meaningless hunt for jewels that Youko did not really care if they knew about or not. However, he quickly turned the attention away from himself by saying, "Kagome-san, you have not told a story yet. Why don't you get us back on track by starting off?"

"Hey, yeah!" Yusuke shouted. "You're the only one who hasn't said anything! Come on, you might not have been with us all the time, but Kurama's only talkin' about stuff in the past. Why the hell can't you?"

"Yusuke!" Keiko scowled. "Language!"

Kuwabara started up, "That's right! You should tell us something, Kagome-chan. Your stories are always the best, because I almost feel like I'm right there. And I tell ya what, if I had been, I would have kicked that Naraku's butt." He refused to cuss when he was speaking directly to a girl, whether Urameshi made stupid faces at him or not before Keiko elbowed him in the arm. He would do the same for any girl, especially Yukina.

"Um," Kagome blushed under the sudden attention.

Botan's eyes slid back to the demon sitting in the window, noticing that his body had shifted the slightest of bits. She wanted to jump around and scream what she knew to the world, but she was pretty sure that Kurama already knew, and she was positive that Kagome would not want to be embarrassed in such a fashion. Besides, at the moment she did not feel like seeing whether or not Lady Death could end up dead herself. However, a small snicker escaped her throat and she saw Kurama give her a quick glance, obviously wishing for her to shut up before the demon noticed and left.

"I-I," Kagome started. She had never been all that good around people after she had formed such a close family in the past. And especially after she had returned for good and been whisked away to the Makai only to end up meeting a lot of interesting people who had faces new and old. However, she sucked it up, because these were her closest friends in the Ningenkai and there was no reason for her to get nervous around them. "I really don't know what to talk about. I could tell you about the first time I met Sesshoumaru-sama or something like that, but I think I've already done all the really good stories."

A light bulb went off in Botan head and she leaned closer to the miko. Smiling, she shook her head and said, "Don't talk about something boring or heroic or something like that, Kagome-chan. No one's talked about anything romantic yet, why don't you do that?"

"That's a lovely idea," Yukina added.

"Oh, yes," Keiko smiled brightly. "I bet there are a lot of old romance stories that you could clear up, since you were literally there when it all happened. And a bunch that haven't been told."

"Ah, well I do know a few," Kagome began. "My favorite, but the most sad, is the love between Inuyasha and Kikyo."

Botan quickly cut her off, "But we're here to tell each other about things that have happened to _us_, Kagome-chan. You can't talk about Inuyasha and Kikyo. You have to tell us stories about things that happened to you!"

Keiko blinked, then agreed, "That's right. You can't talk about Inuyasha and Kikyo. You have to tell us about the romantic things that happened with you involved."

"Or," Botan butted in, "you could tell us about all the men that were attracted to you. I've seen the way they flock to you here, Kagome-chan, so don't lie and say that nothing like that happened in the past. There has to have been someone that found you attractive, for whatever reason they had."

"Most of those aren't romantic, though," Kagome argued.

Botan smiled secretively when she saw the demon's eyes narrow on her. It seemed that he did not want to hear about anyone from the past that had had the hots for the little miko. Well, too bad. She was going to make sure that Kagome got on the train that she wanted her to board and then she was going to make sure that she stayed there. After all, what kind of friend would she be if she did not help the miko realize what the demon did not want her to?

Kurama spoke up, "But the goal of this day is not to talk about romance. It is about reminding each other, or in your case telling us, about the past. It does not matter whether the story is romantic and drawn out, merely that it happened to you and gives us a reason to remember."

"But—"

"Don't argue, Kagome-chan," Botan sighed. "You have to have someone that was attracted to you. What about Kouga-sama? I heard that he claimed to be in love with you for many years before he finally mated Ayame-sama."

"Well, yes, he tried to think he was, but—" again, she did not finish.

"That settles it!" Botan cheered. "Talk about that! And I'm sure that you have more."

Kagome sighed in defeat. "I suppose I could tell you a few. But you have to promise not to snicker or talk about how they happened, because I was young, and inexperienced, and really it wasn't my fault that they decided to kidnap me a bunch of times."

Botan crossed her fingers over her heart dramatically, stating, "I promise!"

Yusuke snorted, saying, "I don't."

Keiko bopped him upside the head, saying, "Yes you do."

The others nodded.

"Ok, since Botan mentioned him, I guess I should start there," Kagome bit her lip. "Kouga-kun, as you know, is the wolf demon that rules over the Northern Wolf Tribe and in the past he used to believe I was his woman. He kidnapped me because I could see the jewel shards, hoping that I could help him destroy his enemy, the Birds of Paradise. He also wanted to use my abilities to get him more shards, since at the time he had had two embedded in his legs. Not to mention he scared the crap out of me because he decided it would be alright to jump down a huge cliff and dig his feet into the side, only to race up it like it was nothing."

Botan's eyes twinkled.

"After Kouga-kun managed to get me away from Inuyasha, he raced back to his wolf den at terrifying speeds. He created a tornado every time he ran, and swiftly brought us to the den where his wolves stayed. Shippo was with me, clinging to Kouga's tail without my knowledge, and was not discovered until after we had reached the den. That was after Kouga-kun's wolves thought they could eat me though, and I really thought that they were going to.

"Shippo and I managed to trick the wolves, using Shippo's magic to make him appear like Kouga-kun. He surprised me even, but we were found out before we could manage to make it to the exit—one of Kouga-kun's wolves had bit down on Shippo's tail because he had been unable to transform it at such a young age. We ran, the wolves chasing us, and made it to a cliff where the wolves quickly cornered us and decided they had had enough with me. Apparently they did not like the fact that I had not only run, but I had managed to help Shippo escape by throwing him from the cliff and allowing him to transform and float away.

"I really thought I was going to get eaten again, but Kouga-kun saved me. He threw the boar he had caught onto his followers back and jumped down to stand in front of me. He said he admired my courage to save my friend, even at the cost of my own life, and before I knew what happened he had declared me as his woman and told me that wolves mated for life. It pissed me off and I slapped him, but I think that it only encouraged him."

Kagome sighed, "I probably did, too. Even today he goes back to his 'Kagome, you're my woman' crap, whether his mate's in the room or not. I think he does it to be funny now, since Shippo's gotten so protective, but it still annoys the crap out of me."

Yukina giggled behind her hand.

Kurama nodded afterward, "It would make sense why Kouga-sama would do such a thing. Wolf demons normally look for strength and loyalty in their mates and you showed both when you risked your life for your kit's. However, it does not make sense as to why he has not stopped after all this time."

"Probably because Shippo's just like Inuyasha in a way and Kouga-kun likes to piss him off," Kagome muttered.

"Perhaps," Kurama smiled a bit.

"I knew you could come up with something, Kagome-chan," Botan smiled. "Now tell us another."

"Well," Kagome bit her lip in thought. "Another one that comes to my mind is Muso. He was expelled from Naraku's body in an attempt to get rid of his human emotions, but I also think that Naraku might have done it to create a bit more chaos. He looked like a normal human, but from what I know, when he was first expelled, he had no face. He went around for some time and tore the faces of his victims off to use as his own until he had found one that he liked."

"Disgusting," Keiko muttered.

"Muso came after me because I reminded him of Kikyo. He couldn't tell the difference between us, and his love for Kikyo drove him to try and kidnap me. He fought with Inuyasha because of it and he seemed very determined to capture me. But, that's understandable since he was basically Onigumo, the bandit that Kikyo saved and became Naraku in an attempt to claim her. He loved Kikyo more than he loved anything in the world, and Muso wanted me because of how much I looked like her. There's really not much else to tell about him," Kagome added.

"How long did this battle last?" Kurama asked. "It seems to me that even if he was expelled from Naraku's body, if he were human, he should have been defeated by Inuyasha quite easily."

"Oh," Kagome blinked, "he found out during his fight with Inuyasha that he could regenerate anything that Inuyasha managed to harm. Of course, whatever came back never looked quite human, and he seemed to become stronger with each regeneration cycle. He only just managed to escape when Inuyasha defeated him, though. I'm pretty sure that Naraku reabsorbed him, because Muso was his heart and later on he expelled a baby that contained his heart inside it."

"He must have made for an interesting opponent then," Kurama said.

"Yeah, you could say that. Though, I really didn't appreciate being held in the air while Inuyasha tried to chop the person holding me to pieces," Kagome grumbled.

"You must have met many interesting people in the past, Kagome-chan," Yukina spoke up.

Kagome nodded, "I suppose. But do you want to know the most interesting that I ever _met_?" Kagome did air quotes with the last word, and watched as all eyes returned to her. "His name was Mukotsu, and he was the poison master of the Band of Seven."

Botan shivered at the name, her eyes widening. "Oh, I remember _him_. Koenma had yet to be born and my mother was performing most of the duties that I now have. I was only in training when she brought in the entire Band of Seven through the portal to the afterlife. Mukotsu was the one I watched the closest because that little devil gave me that leer that clearly said he was up to something, and I'm glad I did, because I heard that he tried to force women into becoming his bride since he was so hideous."

Putting her face into her hand, Kagome stated, "If only I could have been so lucky?"

Yukina's eyes widened, "Mukotsu tried to force you to be his bride?"

Kagome replied, "Unfortunately."

Keiko gasped, "Holy crap!"

She sighed, before saying, "It's not the first time. There was also this pig demon that went around putting circlets on the head of women that interested him and almost instantly they felt like they were in love with him. He managed to get one of me and took off with me before Inuyasha could do anything. The pig wanted to make me his first bride, and I only managed to escape because my friends' came up with a plan for Shippo to transform into a woman and trick him into thinking he was about to get another wife. Afterward they managed to get the circlet off me and defeated him, but not before Inuyasha and Miroku were placed under the same spell I had to go through. That was probably the funniest part of the entire event."

Botan shuddered, before saying, "Alright, now back to Mukotsu. What happened between you and that creepy little guy?" She stealthily snuck a glance at the demon in the window, noticing that with the attention of everyone on the miko, he had turned completely toward the miko. She almost smiled, because she could tell that he was quite irritated with where the conversation had already gone and where it was going. And she would not be surprised if he wished to slaughter everyone that had ever laid a hand on the miko.

Kagome thought for a moment, then began, "We were fighting the Band of Seven because Naraku had brought them back from the dead. When we fought Mukotsu, he managed to fill the area with poison, and I have a feeling it was only because he wanted to get his hands onto me. I'm pretty sure the poison knocked out Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kirara, and it was doing quite a bit of damage to the rest of us, too. I don't remember a lot, it all happened so fast, but the next thing I knew Mukotsu had me and then I blacked out."

After a moment, Kagome continued, "I awoke later to find myself paralyzed and within a hut quite a ways from where we had fought. Mukotsu was standing over me, fanning poison into the room to keep me paralyzed while he went through the marriage ceremony. He said he was going to make me his bride, and I didn't want to think about what he planned to do afterward. I couldn't move, and I wanted to scream for help more than anything, but I had been so sure that no one was going to come to my rescue.

"But, someone that I had never expected _did_ come to my rescue before Mukotsu could perform the ceremony. I could only move my eyes, and when the shadow fell over me, I looked up to see Sesshoumaru-sama standing in the doorway. I'm still not quite sure why he saved me—I'm still pretty sure it had _nothing_ to do with me—but I'm glad that he did."

"How did he save you?" Keiko asked. She loved Yusuke, she did, but she had seen the demon lord Sesshoumaru a few times when visiting Kagome. That demon was one of a kind when it came to looks, and she was positive that he looked like a knight in shining white armor if he had worn his white kimono back then as he did now.

"Mukotsu didn't know that Sesshoumaru-sama is immune to most poisons, so he tried to blast him with a few different kinds that he used on various victims in the past, I'm sure. Sesshoumaru-sama swiped it aside as if it were nothing, and I'm pretty sure that he was leaking Dakkasou to cleanse the air. The next thing I knew Mukotsu had lost his mask that filtered the poison he used and Sesshoumaru-sama was melting him down into a pile of goo. I don't think that even the Shikon shard he used to live could have saved him at that point," Kagome replied.

Unable to help herself, Keiko asked, "Did Sesshoumaru-sama ever kidnap you?"

Botan smirked at the question and noticed the little demon had tensed. There was no way he could compete with Lord Sesshoumaru if the demon lord wanted to keep Kagome, but she was sure that he would try. Though, then again, he had yet to try anything but insult her and put her down so far, so she supposed that Lord Sesshoumaru would be the better catch between the two. It was a shame that Lord Sesshoumaru had no interest in the miko at this time, she guessed.

"No," Kagome shook her head. "He tried to melt me down when we first met because I managed to pull out Tetsusaiga when both Sesshoumaru-sama and Inuyasha couldn't. He tried to kill me a few times, actually, but he never tried to kidnap me because he was attracted to me or anything. Even now he only sees me as his ally and second closest pack member."

"Second?" Yukina asked.

"To his son," Kagome replied. "His name's Masaru, and he's really a sweet and intelligent boy once you get him away from his father. Sesshoumaru-sama told me that he's the son of a noble bitch," the others looked quite shocked that she had said that, "that he made an agreement with in order to receive an heir. I wanted to meet her, but Sesshoumaru-sama told me that she is a vain, greedy demon that only wanted the pleasure to say she's given birth to a lord's heir."

"Why did you want to meet her?" Keiko asked curiously.

"I wanted to see how much of Masaru's personality came from her, but from what I heard, I guess I don't know much about Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome sighed.

"I believe we've gotten off track once more," Kurama spoke up.

"Yeah," Yusuke agreed. "Get back to the story, Kagome."

Kuwabara scowled at Yusuke for being so demanding, but nodded in agreement.

"Oh, sorry," Kagome giggled a bit. "I can't really think of any others at the moment, but I could tell you a bit about how Inuyasha acted."

"Inuyasha?" Keiko asked. "Didn't he always go off with Kikyo after she was resurrected?"

"Yes, but there were times when he could be sweet and understanding. Like the time when we fought Sesshoumaru-sama and he managed to transform Tetsusaiga because he promised to protect me. But, at the beginning of our journey I remember the most this one night where he was weak after fighting with this spider demon. He had been human that night and while he was trying to wait till morning for his demon blood to heal him, he said the sweetest thing I had ever heard him say."

Kagome's eyes softened a bit, "Inuyasha was always rough around the edges. He liked to yell a lot and drag me back to the feudal era whenever I decided I wanted to visit my family. But that night had been the first time that I really saw a different side of him. I had put his head into my lap, and I remember crying, which he told me not to—I think he said something about it being weak and stupid. And it was the first time he said something nice, which is why I remember it so well."

"What did he say?" Yukina asked.

"He said that I smelled nice," Kagome replied. "That when he'd told me earlier that I hadn't that he'd lied."

"That's so sweet," Botan smiled.

A noise came from behind them, and they turned slowly to where the fire demon sat within the window. His eyes were turned away from them, but they knew that the sound had come from his throat. It was obvious, since it had not come from any of them, and they were sure that if anyone asked, he was going to snap at someone.

Botan scowled, "What's wrong with you, Hiei?"

"Those males were fools," the little demon replied. "Especially those with demon blood coursing through their veins. They could have easily been purified, and I'm surprised their instincts didn't tell them to kill the miko or get away before she managed to harm them. It shows how foolish they truly were."

"Oh?" Kurama pushed. "And what do you think of those males, Hiei?"

He turned his head slowly, and his crimson stare settled onto the miko that had told the tales. Slowly, a sneer worked its way onto his face, and he crossed his arms as he leaned further into the wall at his back. "I think," he replied, his eyes boring into hers, "that Kouga was an idiot, and still is, to be attracted to someone that does not even know their purpose in life. This Muso was blind to have thought that the miko was her incarnation, since Kikyo would have purified him from the face of the planet before he managed to touch her. Mukotsu was delusional, believing that anyone with a pretty face would instantly make a good mate."

Kurama spoke up at his pause, "And Inuyasha?"

"Tch, there is nothing to say about the hanyou," Hiei stated. "Being what he was, he was pushed by his weak, human emotions while within the proximity of a woman. Besides, the hanyou was constantly pining over the miko Kikyo, so he could have been thinking about the scent that he remembered from so long ago and mirroring her face within the girl's."

"What do you know about them?" Kagome asked, anger rising. "You don't know any of them, you never have, so don't go around saying stuff like that, Hiei."

Hiei's eyes flashed in annoyance, and Kurama knew almost instantly that the hybrid was about to say something very, very insulting. He was almost surprised that it had taken him this long to speak, since he had been sure his attraction to the girl would have pushed him to speak sooner. However, Kurama only wanted to close his eyes and pray that the roof around them did not come crashing down the two clashed.

'_I don't agree with you, Red. I want to see the little spitfire kick the pipsqueak's ass,_' Youko chuckled in his head. Kurama could only sigh at the fact that the spirit still could not get over the fact that the miko just did not want them, yet did not want to annoy the hybrid with her presence.

"I know what I see, miko," Hiei hissed. "And I know that _no_ one in their right mind would ever find you attractive the way you have described these morons." His eyes flashed again, before he continued, "No one would _ever_ want you as their mate."

Kuwabara looked ready to shout, but Kagome beat him to it.

The miko was almost instantly on her feet; her eyes glaring at the demon, though she knew that he probably only found her efforts amusing. "How do you know?" she demanded. "I've never done anything but be nice to you, but I've had it. I bet you, Hiei, that I could prove you wrong by the time this night is over!"

Hiei returned his eyes to the window, saying, "I'd like to see you try."

"I will!" she replied, determined.

"Try all you want, woman," he snorted. "I'll find your actions amusing at most, but you'll never manage to make me fall for your lack of charm."

She growled, and turned to sit back down. Once she had, she knew that the demon was going to speak again, if only to insult her more. But, she did not bother to say anything before him, wanting only for the others to begin talking once more. "Well?" she snapped at them before he spoke. "Weren't we talking about the past? I think it's somebody elses turn now."

Hiei growled at her dismissal of him, and returned his glare to her back. "What is it, woman? Are you too afraid to try and back up your meaningless claim?"

Swinging her head around to return his glare, she hissed, "The element of surprise always helps, Hiei. Besides, I said before the night is over and that's not for some time now."

He smirked, the menacing smile mocking her. "I see. Well then, take all the time you want, but remember that you only have so long to get off your lazy ass and prove me _wrong_."

She huffed, before turning back to the circle of friend's around her. "Who hasn't spoke yet?" Nobody raised their hand, and she sighed, "Right, that was me. But, I think I'd like to hear another story about your life, Yukina."

"Idiot," Hiei snorted.

Yukina nodded, glancing between Kagome and Hiei. She hoped that the two did not begin fighting again. "I'd love to tell you another story, Kagome-chan," she replied. She would do her best to get Kagome's mind off of whatever she wanted it off of, and then hopefully stop another confrontation from happening. After all, she hated to see them fight, and she could only hope that Hiei did not hurt her friend if she tried to do something drastic.

* * *

Botan glanced between the miko and the hybrid once more, her brow twitching. It had been over thirty minutes and still Kagome was listening to yet another story that Yukina decided to tell about her time in the Ningenkai. She seemed completely interested in it, and Botan was beginning to worry that she had lost her nerve to do anything about what Hiei had said. Which, she decided, would be very bad, since it would only give Hiei another reason to mock her.

Damn that hybrid. Botan wished that he would get over his sorry excuse of, "she is a weak miko that does not deserve my time and effort," and just admit he liked her already. Especially now, since she was positive that Kagome would do something extremely dangerous and stupid, and maybe get herself killed because Hiei decided she had gotten too close to her. Though, then again, if Hiei liked her as much as Botan thought he did, he would not try to harm her at all unless he was trying to prove a point to Kurama or something.

"So, you still haven't found your brother?" Kagome asked.

Botan noticed Hiei tense slightly in the window. She knew that he knew that Kagome knew he was Yukina's brother, but she also knew that Kagome would not tell a soul unless he wished it. And at the moment she could only hope that Kagome was pretending to believe she had no idea who Yukina's brother was, since there would be bloodshed of some kind if she decided to tell. Botan was sure of it.

Either that or she was becoming paranoid the longer Kagome waited.

Yukina shook her head sadly.

Kagome's eyes softened, and she said, "That's so sad. But don't worry, Yukina, I'm sure that you'll find him someday. And if you don't, I'll be happy to be there for you when you need me—like a sister I never had."

Yukina smiled, "That's very kind of you, Kagome-chan. I would love to have you as my sister, and I'm sure that my brother would approve of it, as well."

Hiei tensed a little more. Botan could tell that he might not be all that accepting of the idea, but at the moment he had no objection and did not wish to interfere. Though, Botan was also beginning to question her own logic. She had been worried when Hiei and Kagome had first exploded on each other, but now Kagome wanted to prove something, and she was sure that the miko would eventually try. In fact—

_Oh crap_, Botan screamed to herself, _where's Kagome-chan?_

"Hiei…"

Botan turned her head quickly to see Kagome standing above the hybrid sitting in the window. She had been all for pushing Hiei to the limit earlier, but she was not sure if pushing the demon now was the best of ideas. He was already irritated about the others that had been so close to capturing Kagome as theirs, and now he was tense about Yukina, and there were probably a thousand other things that would make this situation go so wrong. And it was all her fault.

Botan also decided at that moment that she was definitely paranoid. She should have never tried to push Hiei over the edge and now she was going to be the reason the little miko died. Oh, Koenma was going to kill her when she got back.

Hiei turned his head just enough to glare at the miko standing over him.

"You know, Hiei," Kagome smiled a bit, a blush staining her cheeks, "you're rather arrogant, hotheaded, and you constantly feel the need to insult me, but…" She blinked cutely, biting on her bottom lip, "You _do_ have that devilishly handsome look going on, and I just can't…"

Botan's mouth fell open when Kagome straddled the demon as if there was nothing else in the world she would rather do. Her back leaned against the knee he had drawn up at an angle, and she leaned closer to him so that her body was pressed against his front. Already Botan could see the hybrid beginning to tense, his eyes staring at the miko in disbelief at her blunt move, while she straightened her back and nearly pressed her breasts into his face.

Botan's eyes almost popped out of her head at how blunt Kagome was being, and she swiftly turned to find that the others were staring with wide eyes as well. Obviously none of them had expected the miko to be so forceful in her approach. Before she returned her eyes to the couple, she almost giggled at the fact that Kuwabara had hidden both his and Yukina's eyes from the sexual contact that was taking place in the window seat.

Kagome slid down, her arms lacing around Hiei's shoulders to keep him from trying to push her away. Her mouth pressed against his ear, and Botan only managed to hear her say, "Hiei, what do you think of me now?" before Kagome's tongue slipped from her mouth. She traced it only the shell of Hiei's sensitive ear, before taking the tip between her teeth and blocking the view with her head. Botan was not sure what happened afterward, but she did notice the way Hiei's hand had slid down to rest on the miko's hip possessively.

Kagome's head moved downward and the only indication that she left wet kisses behind was the wet popping that echoed into the now silent room. She apparently traveled along Hiei's neck and stopped at his shirt, before pulling away and flipping her long hair back out of her face. It gave the others a nice view of the path she had taken, marked only by the light saliva she had left behind.

"Hiei," she said again. Botan was not sure if Kagome was doing it to tease him, or something else, but she was shocked when Kagome leaned into the demon she was sitting on once more. She could hear the growl that was traveling through Hiei's chest, and saw the way his hands clasped ahold of her waist, before she saw Kagome smile a bit more seductively than she believed anyone in the room thought she could.

Gently, Kagome placed a kiss on the corner of the hybrid's mouth. Botan heard another growl work its way from Hiei's throat and watched as the demon dug his claws into the girl's waist and leaned forward. His crimson stare was focused entirely on her, and she watched as Kagome allowed him to get so close to kissing her full on the mouth, before the miko smirked and pulled away from him. He appeared confused, and growled to demand dominance, but Kagome had already managed to pry his fingers away with his slight distraction and stepped from his lap without a word.

Hiei looked a bit red in the face when Yusuke began to laugh, doubling over and pounding his fist against the floor at the flustered look that appeared on the little demon's face. Kurama chuckled lightly behind his hand, even as the miko sat back down in her spot, and turned to smirk at the demon that was staring at her still. Even Botan could not hold in her giggles, and Keiko was soon to join her as the miko spoke.

"See? I told you that I could change your mind," Kagome stated.

Hiei growled, snapping, "Woman, this proves nothing!"

"Really?" Kagome asked innocently. "I think it proves a lot."

Botan, who had managed to keep her giggles in, began to laugh again. She heard the demon snarl, and watched as he turned stiffly in his seat so that he could stare out the window. However, she watched as the others returned to telling tales about the old days, and finally when Hiei returned his gaze to the group. His eyes, she noticed, were staring intently at the miko, and she realized with a small smirk that he was gazing at the lips that he had come so close to claiming as his own. He looked determined, and Botan could only hope that her friend was ready for the beast that she had released with her forceful approach to the matter, because she doubted Hiei would stop until he got what he wanted.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin:**_ Hm, it did not come out as well as I hoped it would. Though, that could be because I keep trying to go back to the Sesshoumaru/Kagome one I thought up and that other Hiei/Kagome that won't leave me alone. Damn it, why won't these dangerous, wonderful demons leave me be?

_Kiba_


	62. My Brother's Friend: Kankurou

_**Title:**__ My Brother's Friend_

_**Summary:**__ The only friend that Gaara had ever had, and unfortunately he happened to fall in love with her. What a wonderful person to love, too, one that's inching onto the insane side and trusts a monster over everything else._

**Pairing:** One-sided Kankurou/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

Kankurou scowled lightly, watching the younger girl as she picked up the brightly colored ball and rolled it back to the red headed boy with the teddy bear. He was surprised to see the little monster smiling, but his eyes were focused on the little girl that giggled and clapped when the boy halted the ball easily with a mere swing of his hand. Sand rose up at the boy's command, stopping the balls movements and gently pushing it back toward her, causing the girl to squeal at the power the boy possessed.

That was the only reason she played with him, he was sure of it. She only wanted to be friends with the little monster because of the unknown power bubbling beneath his skin. Kankurou was sure that if anyone were to tell her that he had been using that power to kill for over a year now, she would run away screaming. But, no, she merely clapped her hands and laughed as if there was nothing wrong with the raging, uncontrollable power that the boy contained.

A raging, uncontrollable power that could easily rise up to either protect or kill those within the area. Therefore, Kankurou knew that the girl had to be mad. No one else wished to play with the little monster, yet she had merely walked up to him one day with big, bright eyes and asked him to be her friend. And Kankurou had a lot of proof that the girl _was_, indeed, mad, since she had refused to even acknowledge his presence when he had been ordered to retrieve the little monster—many times. He saw quite a bit while watching them play with each other, and he _knew_ that that girl was not sane in any sense of the word.

His scowl became deeper, listening to the girl's soft, melody-like voice cheer the boy's name as she twisted in a circle, clapping her hands time and again. Her feet easily propelled her through her short dance, before she turned to give the red headed boy a bright, unhesitating smile that radiated like the sun. Why she always gave that little monster that smile, he would never understand. The boy did not deserve such a thing, especially with the blood that he had spilled; yet she seemed to merely shrug her shoulders and ignore the warnings that were directed toward her.

And again, the boy smiled back a bit hesitantly. He had yet to become used to the constant adoration the girl gave him, it seemed. And it sickened Kankurou. His stomach always rolled, since he knew the little monster was just waiting for the girl to turn her back on him, or draw a weapon to attack. The boy obviously could not see, or did not understand, the amount of affection the girl seemed to hold for him, and to Kankurou, that meant he should not have it. He did not deserve it if he could not understand what the girl was offering.

Yet, though the boy was obviously undeserving of anything that had been given to him thus far, the girl did not appear to be angry that it was taking him so long to understand. In fact, she seemed to merely be trying to help him along—help him understand the emotion she gave him. She seemed genuine, as if the only thing she wanted to do in the world was help the little monster understand what he felt, be happy knowing he knew what he felt, but could control it.

The girl's smile stretched out to the point it appeared painful, but it clearly was not when she dug her sandals into the sand and raced toward the boy. She reached him within moments and flung her arms around his shoulders, either not noticing the rough exterior of his skin or uncaring about it. However, it was just another reason as to why Kankurou knew the girl was insane. She willingly jumped into the embrace of that little monster without hesitation; despite the many times people had warned her that that boy could kill her within seconds.

Kankurou leaned away from the building at his side, his hand still trailing on the surface for security. He watched as the boy gently put his arms around the girl's back, his teddy bear still clutched in his hand while he held her. They made a rather cute picture standing there, the girl's foot kicked up as she nuzzled into his neck, and him looking rather shocked, but pleased with the outcome. And that picture caused Kankurou's scowl to deepen, since he would _never_ understand the reason they seemed to be perfect with each other.

He hated it, too. Hated to hear it, hated to see it, and hated to even think about it. His stomach turned each time he was forced to hear someone else in Suna talk about how cut they looked, even though that person was deathly afraid of the boy, knowing that at any moment he could erupt. His stomach turned each time he witnessed the girl cuddle the boy, and most of the time giggle afterward because he commanded the sand to shift into some animal shape to press against her. But, worst of all, he hated the fact that he continued to think about. What should he care if the little monster looked cute with the girl?

His mind disagreed. He cared and he hated it more than he had ever hated anything. He told himself not to, that it should not matter, but his mind and body were against him. His stomach turned and his mind rebelled, trying to tell him something important that he ignored because he did not want to know.

So, Kankurou resorted to hiding and watching, trying to make sense of the reason he cared that the girl had feelings for that little monster. He hid and watched until it was time to take the boy home, shuddering each time his aqua green eyes settled onto him, the girl following suit, the pretty blue eyes darkening as he took her friend away. The boy scared him, and he had thought the girl did originally, but he came to realize that he hated to disappoint her—he hated to take away the thing she held most dear each day. Which gave him another reason to hide and watch, since that did not add up in Kankurou's head.

The sand moved, sliding up the girl's leg in the form of a thin, golden snake. She squealed in delight, as the snake rose to flick out a forked tongue in her face. Her arms held fast to the little monster, while she tried to hide her face from the rough particles that were brushing her face. The tiny squeals of delight caused the boy to smile, and Kankurou to frown some more.

"Gaara-kun!" the girl laughed. "Stop it! I hate snakes! Stop!"

Again, Kankurou did not understand. She continued to giggle and laugh, despite the fact something she hated was staring her in the face. Not only that, but Kankurou had witnessed how quickly the sand could turn deadly, and he knew that at any moment that snake's mouth could open to reveal deadly fangs that would rip out her throat. She did not seem to realize that, merely asking the little monster to stop, before finally the sand slid apart, toppling toward the rest that lie at their feet. He knew the boy did not wish to hurt her, but he could not comprehend the reason she would allow him to form something that she hated and touch her with it.

Kankurou certainly would not have allowed it.

Then again, the girl was insane, so it was no wonder she did not shriek, fling her arms around, and run away like normal girls. He had seen plenty of them do it, and that was merely because the little monster had stepped into sight. Heck, he had seen plenty of boys do it, too. Yet still the girl did not run, almost as if she trusted him beyond anything else in the world, silently knowing that he would not harm her. And maybe that was the reason she continued to be his friend, despite how many times her family and concerned people tried to put a stop to it.

Slowly, she pulled away from him. Her smile was just as bright as when she had captured him within her embrace, but it shifted a bit as the little monster moved away from her with a wary look. She giggled, before tapping him on the arm with the yelp of, "You're it!" Then she quickly turned on her heel and ran, laughter spilling from between her lips even as the boy moved to follow her.

Once more the sand moved, rising up to embrace the girl around the waist. The squeal she let out was loud and girlish, as she tried to push at the sand to dislodge it. Her efforts were in vain, as she cried out about how unfair the situation was. The little monster easily slid up to her side, tapping her playfully on the arm and turned to run before the sand had a chance to release her.

Kankurou shifted. His eyes had widened when seeing the sand incase the lower half of the girl, since he knew what horror that sand could perform. He knew that within a moment she could be crushed beneath the might of the unforgiving particles, even though she appeared to trust the little monster more than anything else. But he also knew that the little monster would not hurt the girl. He knew because he constantly had to listen to him talk about her while taking him home, while his chest twisted with an odd sensation that he wished would not be there because of her. He constantly had to listen to the little monster, and feel as if his heart was going to rip itself from his chest.

Worst of all, Kankurou had to push down the urge to at least _try_ and harm the little monster. He wanted to—he wanted to wring his little neck, but he knew that he could not do that. He did not want to see hate fill those pretty little blue eyes toward him because he had been another person to try and harm the little monster with force. He did not understand why he did not, but he truly did not wish to bring any harm to her, even though he always knew that the one thing he wished would change never would.

She would always be his brother's friend. His brother's Kagome.

And he hated Gaara more than ever because of that.

_--Fin_


	63. The Dog: Sesshoumaru

_**Title:** The Dog_

_**Summary:** He was not jealous, he simply did not like the way his mate coddled that creature._

**Pairing:** Sesshoumaru/Kagome

**Anime:** Inuyasha (IY)

* * *

A tail wagged, and his lip twitched again in dissatisfaction.

"Sit," his mate giggled, waving the treat before the animal. It gave a quick bark, but did as she commanded, sitting back on its hunches and waiting patiently for her to hand out the treat offered. Afterward, his mate began to talk to the animal as if it were a child, allowing it to take the treat and quickly chew it up before she scratched behind its ears.

He had found the smallest bit of satisfaction at the fact that his mate could make the animal do as she commanded so easily, but that had faded quite quickly. Now, as his mate continued to give attention to the animal, he could not believe the animal had the audacity to appear anyway similar to himself. That was the only reason he would believe his mate continued to give her complete attention to that white bundle of slobbering flesh.

His golden eyes cast over his mate once more, watching as she swept the white puppy up into her arms. Almost instantly the small dog began to lick her face, causing her to giggle, but he only managed to growl softly at the affection. If anyone should be able to lick that beautiful face, it should be _him_. That dog had clearly not learned its place yet, though he had been quite sure he had laid out the ground on which it stood when she picked it out. But, he supposed, he should not expect such a stupid animal to understand.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He returned his eyes to his mate's, before looking away from the innocent gaze she was giving him. She should know full well what she had done to make him growl, since there was no doubt what she was asking about. Her and that damned dog. He should have been enough dog for her, demon or not, yet she had insisted on getting the stupid creature when she saw it. He still did not see the reasoning behind her request, since he was more than willing to show her a bit of _puppy_ love if she so wished for it.

That animal would never be able to please her the way he could in his more primitive form. He knew what she liked and what she did not, and he was certain that he could have showed her as much, if not _more_, affection than that little creature. He would even be willing to endure that blasted leash if she could find a collar large enough to fit around his neck within that form. He doubted she would be able to, but he would be willing enough if she wished it _should_ she somehow come across a collar that big. So, he did not see the reason she needed that animal, all it did was bark and whine while wagging its tail.

He did not care how cute the thing looked now. Sooner or later it would grow and become a larger animal that would only seek the affection it _knew_ it would receive from his mate. He wanted to growl at the thought, but restrained himself, because he knew that it would not be intelligent enough to try anything with his mate. After all, though it appeared similar to himself in a small way, it was merely a dog that would seek to mate with another stupid dog. That was, if his mate did not decide to take the little puppy to the veterinarian to make sure there were no little puppies running around in the future.

A smirk appeared on his lips, his mind showing no sympathy toward the animal. In fact, he was rather for the idea, since the dog had the bold courage to take his mate's attention from him for so long. And it _continued_ to nuzzle into her neck and lick her cheeks; despite the fact she was standing right in front of him and gazing up with worried blue eyes. Yes, he rather liked the idea, and he would make sure to discuss it with his mate as soon as she decided to stop paying attention to that little _mutt_.

His mate waved her hand in his face, but he ignored her. "Sesshoumaru?" she asked again, worry clouding her voice, but he turned his nose up. Her hand laid on his arm, trying to catch his attention, he knew, but he merely flicked his eyes toward the little white bundle in her arms and growled low in his throat.

The tiny puppy whimpered at the sound, stuffing its nose into the crook of his mate's arm. It knew that he was displeased with it, but he knew that the puppy did not understand the reason why. However, the action it took only caused his displeasure to rise a bit more, his golden eyes narrowing on the animal that dared take such liberties with his mate.

His mate once again turned her attention away from him, pulling the puppy away so that she could smile and rub her nose against its. The pup almost instantly became happy again, its tail wagging at the happiness its owner showed. His mate cooed to the little animal, and he knew that though his mate had tried to catch his attention, the situation was already beginning to go downhill once more. She wanted only to cuddle with that worthless mutt, and he did _not_ like it—she was his mate, she should want to cuddle him.

"Oh, its alright," she smiled, leaning down to put the puppy on the ground. Out of her grasp, it looked up at him and gave a quick little yip that he turned his nose up at. He did not even think about replying to the animal, since it would do him no good—it was stupid and already his mate was trying to gain his attention again. She would only wait so long.

The puppy tilted its head to one side, giving a small bark.

"Sesshoumaru, tell me what's wrong. Why did you growl?" she asked.

"Hn."

Again, the little dog barked.

"Sesshoumaru…" his mate was becoming agitated, but he could not help but wish to make her feel as he had. Ignored. After all, that attention that she so willingly gave to that little mutt should have been his. She was his mate, and any affection should be appreciated by him or one of the pups that would come from her womb one day.

Glancing between the two, the puppy watched as its owner moved closer to its alpha. Another whimper escaped its throat, not wishing for its owner to become hurt because she was trying to touch its alpha in such an aggressive way. With a small bark, the puppy bound forward, tugging at the leash around its neck.

A tiny sound of distress left his mate's throat when she was thrown off balance by the white puppy. His hands easily grasped ahold of her arms, holding her steady, as he felt the pup wind its way around his legs, the leash sliding against his clothing. However, though he had felt angered that the dog was once again taking liberties with his mate, he glanced down and found her hands on his chest, her face pressed against him. Slowly, a smirk worked its way onto his face, and he took a small glance at the little puppy that allowed its tongue to hang from its mouth.

Perhaps it was good for something, even if it was too stupid to realize it.

A sigh left his mate's mouth, and she tried to press against his chest to pull away. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her back and held her close. However, when she was unable to get away, she huffed, "Sesshoumaru."

Leaning his mouth down to her ear, he said, "You had only to tell me that you wanted my attention and I would have given it to you, Kagome."

Kagome tried to push away again, only to be caged once more. Again, she growled, "Sesshoumaru."

"_Kagome_," he replied, allowing one arm to go slack. She pulled back, her blue eyes glaring up at him with good humor, while he allowed his hand to grasp her face and gently smooth the skin of her cheek with his thumb. "There is no reason to be shy. I will be more than happy to show you the affection you crave for."

The puppy yipped, its tail beginning to thump against the ground.

"What?" Kagome asked. "Were you _jealous_?"

Glancing at the pup, Sesshoumaru gave a small growl, before claiming his mate's lips as his own. The puppy gave another small bark in reply to him, but his attention was fixed on his mate's sweet mouth. However, he would make sure to utilize the puppy now that he knew he could, since it would be much easier to pull her attention toward him with the puppy's assistance. After all, it would be the simplest of tasks controlling the pup and it would be even easier the older it got, its experience getting him what he wanted in the end.

_--Fin_

* * *

**_KibaSin:_** The last two were really short, I know, but that's the reason I wrote two instead of one. I hope you've enjoyed them, though it took me nearly two days to get it up and everything. Stupid, annoying computers that don't want to show me anything but the html version to edit.

_Kiba_


	64. Shinigami: Kurosaki Ichigo

_**Title:**__ Shinigami_

_**Summary:**__ He never thought having a regular girlfriend would screw up his life that much, but he supposed that having one that wasn't so regular was ok, too._

**Pairing:** Ichigo/Kagome

**Anime:** Bleach/IY

* * *

"I'm telling you, Ichigo, there's something seriously different about that girlfriend of yours!" Renji tried to explain once more.

Ichigo huffed, his scowl deepening a bit more, as he said, "Renji, will you give it up already. There's nothing strange about Kagome. She was sick a lot throughout middle school, but that's it. You got that?"

Renji stood by his belief, replying, "Ichigo, you have to listen to me. Even Orihime can see it! And I mean, come on, your first clue should have been when Uryuu told you her spirit threads are blue! From my research there's only one creature on the entire planet that has ever had blue spirit threads, but they've been dead for hundreds of years!"

"You know," Ichigo grumbled, "it's taken me quite some time to actually see those spirit threads, but I don't really care. So what if all you guys think the only colored spirit threads are red and white. If you haven't noticed, Souta's spirit threads are blue, too, and he's Kagome's little brother. It's probably just something that's passed down in their family and no one ever had time to notice it."

"_Ichigo_!" Renji grumbled. His eyes stared into the substitute shinigami's, and they began to glare at one another. "How many times must we tell you? Spirit threads are like your spiritual identity. Kagome's are unique, and so are Souta's. I'm telling you, there's no one else in the entire world who has blue spirit threads. You can look if you don't believe me!"

"Look, Renji, I don't really care, ok," Ichigo growled lightly. "Big deal if Kagome has blue spirit threads, and is most likely some type of creature that hasn't been seen for hundreds of years. I doubt she even knows about it, or ever will, unless you decide to go blabbin' your mouth about something that ain't important."

"Ain't important! Ain't important!" Renji gasped. He flung his arms into the air, though he was still felt a bit odd in his gigai. "This is very important. The only thing that has ever had blue spirit threads were humans that could turn shinigami, hollows, and a number of other creatures to _dust_ with a single touch of a finger! They were normally female, called a miko, and they protected villages a long time ago before they were wiped out of the world. But that girlfriend of yours—"

"Look, Kagome isn't—"

"Kagome isn't what?"

Ichigo and Renji tensed, before they turned to find the girl they had been talking about standing behind them. She was wearing the school uniform, with her books held against her chest. Her pretty blue eyes were wide, intelligent, and stared at them with a curious light, while she used her unoccupied arm to twirl a strange of hair on a finger. She was in good health, another reason that Renji thought something was fishy about her, and looked like she took her family shrine steps at least four times a day.

"Ah," Ichigo glared at Renji for putting him into this position. "Renji wanted to know if you were wearing contacts—" he saw the shinigami give him a confused look, obviously not understanding the word, "and I was going to tell him that you aren't. He just thinks it's strange that you have such an unnatural eye color. Not that that's a bad thing, of course."

Renji nodded quickly, saying, "Yeah, that's it." He would have to ask Ichigo later what in the heck contacts were. He heard a few humans talking about it already, and he was surprised that Ichigo had used such a strange word. Perhaps it would be as fascinating as the juice pack, which he still was not quite sure how to master.

"Oh," Kagome blinked. Something seemed a bit odd to her about the situation, but she decided to let it go for now. "Well, I can assure you, Renji-san, that my eyes are my natural color. I got them from my father."

"Riiight," Renji nodded in acceptance. Sometimes he wished that humans were not so complicated, because he really wanted to know what the hell had just happened. And his gigai was really tight sometimes, which ticked him off, especially when he was near Ichigo's precious girlfriend. Plus, she was always giving him that weird look, like she knew something else about him, but had sealed her lips as to what it was. Mostly all of these things made him long for the Soul Society, but he wanted to make Ichigo understand that if his girlfriend knew what she was, and she found out what he was, she might turn on him!

"See, I told ya," Ichigo nudged him. "You really need to put some more trust in me, Renji."

"Hey, I'll put more trust in your when—" Renji stopped, his argument dying on his tongue as he turned to look out the window at his left. Kagome was looking at him strangely again, but he ignored the shiver that raced through his gigai, and searched the area. "Ichigo."

Yeah, he had felt it. He gave Renji the look that he understood. He had felt the Hollow's energy, and he knew it was just waiting out there for some yummy soul to pass by it. So, he reached up to scratch the back of his head, and said, "Hey, I gotta go to the bathroom. You mind stickin' with Renji for a bit, Kagome?"

Kagome shook her head, saying, "Not at all."

Great, just what Renji wanted! To be stuck with the woman that could turn out to be a long lost creature in disguise, trying to act all normal like. Of course, Renji was not quite sure what normal human behavior was, considering the fact that all of Ichigo's friends seemed to have an array of behaviors, but that was not the point. However, if Kagome turned out to be a miko that wanted only to purify his soul from this world, he would make sure that Ichigo knew what had happened to him. Then maybe that stupid kid would understand that his girlfriend was not as normal as he seemed to think she was.

"Renji-san?"

Renji blinked, before looking down his nose at the girl so much shorter than him. She was even a bit shorter than Rukia, so he basically towered over her. Hell, Ichigo _really_ towered over her. "Uh, yeah?" he asked.

"Do you want to walk me outside?" Kagome asked. She had noticed the strange energy coming from outside, and she wondered again if Renji had been able to feel it. She had realized almost the moment after she had met him that he was not normal, and she was really happy about that, since life in this time was just so boring. Ichigo was great, he was, but she needed just a little something in her life that escaped normality if she ever wanted to remain sane.

Though, then again, she always did think she felt something _off_ with Ichigo, too. Almost like there was something entirely different about him, which she guessed was what drew her to him in the first place. Orihime had been the first one to befriend her, but slowly she had managed to wriggle into the hearts of the entire group, and got close to that strange _off_-ness that she felt from Ichigo. No, not just Ichigo. All of them, though they tried so hard to make sure that she did not see it—she guessed that she often forgot that none of them felt like regular humans.

"What about Ichigo?" Renji asked. It was not such a good idea to go outside at the moment, since he could already hear the roars of the Hollow Ichigo had no doubt went into battle with. "Shouldn't we wait for him? I'm sure he'll be back any minute now."

"I'm sure he won't mind," Kagome laughed. "Besides, Ichigo's pretty fast when he wants to be. I'm sure that he can catch up easily enough."

Renji gazed into those big, pleading blue eyes, and found himself saying, "Well, I don't see why no—"

"Great!" Kagome's smile widened. "Come on then," she said, grabbing his sleeve. She pulled him forward, moving through the hallways with ease, even as she waved and smiled at people that she knew. She realized after a few times that Renji was giving them awkward bows of the head, unable to really keep his balance the harder that she pulled.

She was positive that there was something about Renji that could get rid of that energy, since she had noticed him sneak off once and a similar energy vanished. She was not quite sure what the energy was still; since they always seemed to disappear right before they reached the shrine each time she felt them. She had been positive they were after the jewel, despite the fact it had turned to dust and fused with her after she had made her wish, making sure that the selfishness of the wish would not affect the rest of the world. Midoriko was a real genius, but Kagome doubted that she could have expected such a strange, dark energy to still be around in a time demons had dwindled to near nothingness.

Besides, if Renji wanted to play around with her still, try to make her believe he was not something else, she supposed she could purify the dark energy. Maybe showing a bit of her power would get Renji to loosen his tongue. She knew that miko energy had dwindled in the world with the lack of demons, but there had to be someone in the world that knew what they were. And if Renji did not, she could play with him a bit, threatening to do the same thing she had done to the energy to him. Sure, he did not feel evil, but perhaps a small, glowing girl could make him understand that when she wanted to know something, she was willing to go to such lengths to find the answer.

Renji's eyes widened as they neared the exit. He could hear the faint cry of the Hollow beyond those doors, along with Ichigo's battle cry, and he had no doubt that the battle between them still raged. Though why in the heck it was taking so long for Ichigo to take care of the Hollow was beyond him. "H-Hey!" he tried to catch her attention, while she continued to pull him behind her. For such a small girl she was pretty strong. "I think this is far enough! We really should wait for Ichigo to come back."

Kagome rolled her eyes, listening to the sounds of the beast roar outside. A lot of people could be hurt, yet he was worried about Ichigo coming. Sure, her boyfriend did not feel like a normal human, but she did not think that he would be able to do much against this type of energy. In fact, she was not even sure if Renji was going to be much help. "Renji-san," she pouted, "you promised to walk me _outside_. I'm not going to let you out of it now, and I'm sure that Ichigo would be unhappy your lack of honor."

Renji bristled, "Don't bring Ichigo into this!"

"Why not?" Kagome asked, continuing to tug at him until they had reached the door. Then, she gave him a small glare from the corner of her eye, and said, "You're related, aren't you?" Yeah, she already knew _that_ one was a lie, but she was not about to tell him that she had scanned both their auras and found nothing to state they were even distantly related. People might try, especially every one in on the _joke_, but she was not going to have that one pulled over her head.

"Of course!" Renji lied. He did not know why Ichigo had decided to come up with that one, since he hated the fact that everyone continued to say they could _see_ the similarities. There was _nothing_ similar between him and Ichigo! "That's not the point, though. Ichigo made me promise that I would—"

"You would what?" Kagome asked when he paused in speech. "Keep me from going outside. Sorry, Renji, but that's not going to happen!"

Renji grabbed for her as she let go of his hand, and sped through the door. _Shit_, raced through his head, while he shoved the door open, and watched as the girl raced out until she was in the middle of the school courtyard. He ran after her, noticing that the Hollow Ichigo was fighting had turned its large white mask toward the girl, ignoring the shinigami. Ichigo looked stunned, but Renji's focus was on getting the girl out of the way as the Hollow turned and went for her.

"_The jewel!_" the Hollow cried. "_You have it! Give it to me, tasty little human!_"

Kagome was shocked, her eyes gazing beyond the large beast headed for her. That was Ichigo! No, there was something different about him. It was not the clothes, though she did admit they were drastically different from his school clothes, or the fact that he was carrying a very big sword, which she admitted had a strange aura surrounding it. No, it was the fact that he felt like Renji—like the part of him that had always felt human had been stripped away.

"_Give me the jewel!_" the Hollow hissed.

Renji just barely managed to grab ahold of the stupid girl, though she probably could not see anything, and shoved them both out of the Hollow's path. It hit the ground, embedding its head into the dirt, and left behind a large crater. He heard the girl beneath him gasp, probably from the hole that suddenly appeared, and he growled when the Hollow pulled itself from the hole it had created. "You moron!" Renji grunted, though he was positive the girl had no idea what he was talking about.

The Hollow swung its masked face around, until it locked its dark eyes on the girl. A grinned seemed to stretch across the bone that made up its face, before it dug its claws into the earth. "_Foolish little human. Don't think you'll get away so easily. The jewel will be mine! Mine!_"

"_I don't think so!_" Ichigo hollered, flying over the Hollow's body. It turned to hiss at him, but gave him the perfect chance to dig the tip of Zangetsu into its mask. He arched his Zanpak-to through the Hollow's mask, vanquishing it from the world. It disappeared in a sparkle of light; its final cries barely heard as its soul returned to its human state and passed on to the Soul Society. However, Ichigo's were instantly on Renji's when he hit the ground, and he nearly stomped all the way over to them.

Kagome looked up. She realized after a moment the reason that she had thought the energy was so familiar. She had felt it a long time ago, when she had met that man who introduced himself as Yamamoto. He had been surprised she could see him, and told her something about needing to return to where he had come from, but he had refused to tell her where that was or if there were more like him. But she knew the moment she gazed at Ichigo, and realized that she had felt the same energy from Renji and a lot of others she had met through Ichigo.

"_What the hell do you think you're doing?_" Ichigo yelled. He watched as Renji shifted his eyes to Kagome, and his anger rose a bit when he realized the shinigami was not going to reply to him. "_I told you to watch her whenever I had to deal with these damn Hollows! Not drag her outside so that she can nearly get herself killed! I don't know what your problem is, Renji, but when I get back into my body, I'm going to kick your ass!_"

Kagome flinched, softly saying, "I-Ichigo?"

Renji's eyes widened, and he scrambled away from the girl he had saved as she gazed at Ichigo. His mouth fell open, and he pointed at her, shouting, "Holy crap! She can see you, Ichigo!"

"_What the hell are you talkin' about? She can't—_" Ichigo's voice halted at the feel of fingers wrapping around his wrist. He looked up quick, and saw that Kagome was holding onto his hand. That was not right, though, because he went through mostly everything in this form and gave humans the creeps when he did so. Yet her hand was giving off a soft blue light, and she _was_ holding onto him.

"Ichigo," Kagome whispered, staring into his eyes. "You're a shinigami."

"_Uh_," Ichigo forced out. This was the last thing he expected. Sure, Ishida and Renji were always trying to tell him that there was something different about Kagome, but he had been positive that her blue spirit threads were because there was something different with her soul. Like it was really, _really_ old or something. Or maybe she had been some weird creature the Soul Society did not know about yet that decided it wanted to reincarnate back into the mortal realm.

"You're a shinigami!" Kagome said again. Happiness coated her voice, because she had not expected to find something so out of the norm in her time. She had been positive that she had left all the strange, wonderful stuff behind in the past, yet it stood before her now in the form of her boyfriend. So, giddy, she shouted, "This is wonderful!"

"_Yeah_," Ichigo replied. He was not about to correct her that he was really a substitute shinigami, and he only turned into a shinigami because the shinigami that was supposed to patrol his sector disappeared a lot. Besides, he was sure that if he had told her that, he would have then gone off on all the weird shit he had been forced to deal with because of it, too.

Renji tensed when he saw the first of the tears streak down her cheeks. He raised his hands in defense, and said, "Hey, wait a minute. There's no reason to cry about it!"

"I-I'm just so happy," Kagome giggled. "I thought that everything was normal, such as the mass amounts of humans, but then I felt that energy that you called a Hollow. I had been so sure that there had to be more, but I didn't want to get hopeful until I met Ichigo and everyone. You were the only ones that felt _different_, un-human, but I didn't want to believe it in case I was wrong. But I'm not! You're not! Oh, I'm just so happy."

Renji narrowed his eyes, before asking, "How is it you knew we felt different?"

Kagome looked up at him through the tears. She supposed that she could tell them, so she smiled. After a moment of letting him wait, she said, "I'm a miko."

A grin spread across Renji's face, and he pointed at Ichigo, shouting, "Ha! I told ya so!"

"Shut up!" Ichigo growled back. His glare was directed beyond Renji, though, to the boy that was beginning to come toward them, along with the three girls that followed behind him.

"Higurashi-san?"

Kagome turned, blinking away her tears. She looked surprised, but smiled nervously, "Oh, hi Hojo."

Behind them, the three girls began to whisper. The first said, "I told you that Renji was crazy."

"I know, did you see the way he was talking to air?" the second replied.

The third nodded, suspicious. "Yeah, and now he's got Kagome-chan going crazy, too. We've got to find that boyfriend of hers before he manages to do any more damage."

"Hey!" Renji shouted, having heard them. They jumped and raced off screaming, while he ran after them, shouting for them to take that back.

Ichigo smirked. He could not been seen by anyone but Kagome now, but he had gotten the last laugh. Renji might have been right on the fact that Kagome was not normal, but now the whole school was going to think he was nuts. In his opinion, this looked like one of his better days.

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin: **_So I had fun with it. I'm a bit iffy on whether or not they were actually in character, but I'm ok with it at the moment. I just wanted to get a few of my requests done, since I have so many of them. Which is the reason I've shut down the requests for a while. At least until I've done about half of them.

Kiba


	65. Servitude: Miroku

_**Title:** Servitude_

_**Summary:** Kagome's been kidnapped, and Miroku's the only one able to pass through the barrier to save her. However, the tables are turned against him, and he finds himself in the service of his new Queen._

**Pairing:** Miroku/Kagome

**Anime:** Inuyasha (IY)

* * *

"What the hell just happened!?" Inuyasha screamed, slamming his fist against the barrier once more. The damn thing wouldn't allow him to pass, and even his red Tetsusaiga had not been able to penetrate it. Horrible images flashed through his mind as he gazed deep into the barrier, his breath growing ragged. He did not want to know what had just happened, because it would prove that he had failed his best friend.

Miroku frowned, touching the barrier. His fingers went through, strangely enough, as he sighed. "It seems those _holy_ elemental demons want our dear Kagome-sama either for some type of sacrifice, or for some other strange reason."

"I heard them talking about Kagome-chan being some type of god," Sango muttered loud enough for them to hear. "Perhaps they plan to make her their empress?"

"Yeah!" Shippo sniffled. "Don't think that they're just going to…to…to…"

Inuyasha's ears twitched, and growled, "Oh, shut up!"

Shippo whined, "_Kagome_-chan!"

Sango turned her head, "You seem to be the only one who can pass through the barrier, Miroku. Perhaps you should go forward and try to find a way to destroy it. Maybe you can save Kagome-chan from those demons."

"Save a damsel in distress?" Miroku blinked, smiling. "Why, yes, Sango, 1. I believe I could do that."

"Don't get any ideas, monk," Inuyasha growled. "If you're goin' in, then you're going to go in, and come out as fast as you can. You won't take any detours, or stop to ask stupid women if they'd like to bear your children. You understand, pervert?"

Miroku sighed, "Of course. Besides, this is for Kagome-sama. I would have it no other way, Inuyasha."

Sango rolled her eyes, "We'll see when you come back with Kagome-chan."

Inuyasha nodded, "If you're not out by nightfall, I'm going to do everything I can to get into that barrier. If I find out you've done anything other than try to save Kagome, I'm going to rip you to pieces."

"I do not believe this is a time for violence," Miroku said.

"Well then, you better hurry." Inuyasha growled, looking up toward the sky. "You don't have long before the sun begins to fall."

Shippo sniffled again. "Please come back, Miroku."

"I will," Miroku declared. "I promise."

"You better keep that promise," Inuyasha snorted. "Now get goin' before I change my mind to send _you_ to find her."

"Why, I believe you just insulted m—"

Inuyasha shoved Miroku into the barrier before he could say anything else, and hollered, "Get movin', monk!"

Thus, hours later, Miroku found himself moving through the thick forest inside the barrier. The sun was beginning to make its descent from the sky, its light fading out of the world of the living for the time being. The thought that Inuyasha would be coming to kill him for not showing up by nightfall was not a happy one, but Miroku knew that he could use the excuse that he hadn't made it to where Kagome was being held captive—though he wasn't sure where that was yet—and he couldn't travel as fast as a hanyou could. He thought that his excuses were good ones, and Inuyasha wouldn't have a reason to turn on him at that moment, though he was beginning to doubt his friend.

Inuyasha seemed to be coming to a decision on what he wanted, and Miroku felt that he might hurt someone close to him in the process. Mainly Kagome. Miroku had noticed that she seemed to be trying her damnedest to become the one and only in his heart, but the hanyou continued to cling to the knowledge that though Kikyo was the living dead now, she was alive in some form. He couldn't seem to understand that if he chose to go to Hell with Kikyo, that Kikyo's soul would forget everything somewhere within the process and return to its form as Kagome's soul. He didn't understand that Kikyo's soul now belonged to Kagome, for the soul remembered very, very little from its past life, unless it was brought back like Kikyo had been.

Sighing, Miroku told himself not to get involved with Inuyasha's failing relationship. Besides, he needed to think about finding Kagome, and possibly the reward she may give him for saving her. The thought made Miroku smile, though his mind wondered why the thought had even come to him, since he was planning to be involved with Sango. His dear, sweet, _violent,_ Sango. That thought made Miroku sigh again and lower his head as he pushed branches out of his way using his shakoju.

As he did so, a clearing came into view. Beyond the trees, farther away, however, was a large castle, and he smiled, sure that that was where Kagome was. However, as he took a step forward, still slightly tense because of the pure atmosphere, six steel tips pressed against his throat. He stilled, wondering how it was that he had missed the demons that had suddenly popped out of nowhere, but the purity filling the air invaded his senses again. His eyes narrowed, ready to defend himself in order to save his friend in the end, as the blunt end of a katana smacked the back of his head, causing his senses to fade into darkness.

* * *

"Oh, you're coming to," a soft voice stated rather bluntly, the sound barely caught by his ears.

His eyes opened slowly, but needed a bit of time to adjust to the change in light. However, he felt a damp cloth pressed to his forehead, and smelled the clearly feminine scent that wafted around him, so he was not in a large hurry. A small smile tilted onto his lips, wondering what the fair maiden looked like, since it was quite clear that the one touching him was female. Who was he to refuse the attentions of women?

"Leave him be, Arisu," a male snapped. "You do not know how our Queen will react with you touching one of her servants in such a fashion. Best you do not get yourself into trouble so early in her rule."

"Oh, shut your mouth, Nobuyuki. You know full well that our Queen is far too pure and kind to punish us with anything more than extra duties," the female, Arisu, said. "Besides, I have sat at our Lady's feet most of today, and never once did she do more than smile at me. What have you done at her side?"

Nobuyuki growled, "It is not our fault that our Queen demands female servants and only this one as her male. If I were given the choice, I would be at her side every moment of the day and cuddle her throughout the night. If I were given the choice, our Queen would never go cold for I would warm her—"

Things began to come into focus, and he noticed that a small, purple haired female was kneeling at his side, a small teacup held in her hand. The male was standing off to the side, his features easily seen in the small amount of candlelight, and it was quite obvious he would have been considered very handsome—not that he cared for that type of thing. His hair was green, with an easily distinguishing silver tint at the ends, while his eyes were like endless pits of darkness. However, his observation of the two was cut off when the female kneeling at his side threw the teacup she was holding at the male, and from the speed that he moved to the side it was clear that these two were not human.

"I told you to be quiet," Arisu hissed. "You speak ill of our Lady by saying such things. She is a beautiful maiden, but she is _pure_. She would _never_ give that to the likes of _you_."

Nobuyuki snorted, "Says the wench who fell into my bed."

Miroku groaned, stopping their conversation when he noticed the female tense, obviously hurt by the words. He noticed that they both quickly turned their attention back to him, and the female went straight back to dabbing his forehead with the cloth she held. The male, Nobuyuki, clearly did not care, for he simply scowled, and turned away as if they were not even there. "Where—"

"Shh," Arisu growled. "You should not speak until I am completely sure that you have healed. Our Queen was not pleased when she had heard of the wounds those guards inflicted upon you, so it is my job to heal you, and you will do as I say. Do you understand?" Seeing him open his mouth, she slapped her hand over it, and stated, "I told you not to speak. Nod, foolish human."

Miroku did so.

Nobuyuki snorted again, "I do not see why our Queen wants such a creature at her feet each day. I would be far more suited to such a task, especially since I was trained for such a thing since I was young." He stiffened, "Tell me, Arisu, what can this human do that I cannot?"

"Be quiet and listen," Arisu bristled. "Now, either shut up or leave, I will not have you constantly hissing in my ear while I am trying to do the task I _was_ given."

"Perhaps you should learn your place," Nobuyuki snarled.

"Touch me," Arisu said softly, "and our Lady will instantly know. You know that, Nobuyuki, now leave me be."

Nobuyuki snarled, "Do not think this is over, wench. I will be back, and if that thing has yet to follow the rules as I was taught, do not think that I will hesitate to kill him. Our Queen is the only one I worship, and I will not have her rule tarnished by a blundering fool." He turned on his heel, retreating from the room with his hand placed onto the hilt of the sword at his side.

Arisu sighed softly, returning to her gentle care of the human male at her feet. She smiled at him, remembering the words of her Queen. Their traditions demanded that their holy ruler took the mate trained for her, but that did not mean that her Queen could not appreciate other things on the side. "Our Lady," she told him softly, "will be expecting you to be up and moving by tomorrow. She went through a great deal in order to correct the damage those fools did, so you better appreciate it."

Miroku nodded. Of course he would appreciate it. If the woman had managed to catch the eye of a male like the one that had just left, she either had to be very beautiful, or he was very blind. He would appreciate the healing she had given him _and_ the beauty that she possessed. But, he supposed, he would need to figure out a way to leave this place, since his goal was to find Kagome. However, he _also_ supposed that if this 'lady' was as kind and generous as Arisu said she was, she _might_ be the way for him to escape and continue on his search.

"Good." The female turned her head away from him, but when she looked back, her eyes were bleeding, "Because, if I should hear that you have done anything out of line of your station, human, I shall not be so kind to you. My Lady protects you at this moment, but she will not be able to protect you afterward."

Miroku tensed, staring into the dangerous red eyes that were glaring down at him. The pretty, kind female from a moment ago was gone, and the demonic energy swirling around her made it obvious that a beast stood in her place now. Even her hair seemed to flicker in color for a moment, showing off her elemental powers, and Miroku's thoughts swirled with the information.

The male, Nobuyuki, had had an elemental feel to him when his anger had risen. The female before him was showing off elemental qualities. And, if he was in his right mind at the moment, he could feel a number of other elementals within the area. The knowledge made him hopeful, for it had been elemental demons that had kidnapped his friend. If he put the pieces together, he would say that this was most likely the place Kagome was being held, which meant getting into the good graces of this lady would give him a higher chance of retrieving his friend.

He could only hope that the lady was beautiful, for he simply hated having those with meager beauty hanging on him. Of course, a lady would not be one to hang, but that did not mean as her servant she would not expect a few choice things from him. However, on another note, he realized that this lady must be a demon like the other elementals surrounding him, so she most likely was as beautiful. Miroku could almost sigh at the thought of being under the service of a beautiful woman.

* * *

Miroku stumbled forward again, feeling the claws of the demon holding him dig into his flesh. He scowled at the demon's back, because he knew from listening to Arisu that the earth elemental was not allowed to harm him. Yet the demon continued to do so, his claws easily sinking into the flesh of his arm as he pulled him forward. However, despite the fact that he was being manhandled, and was glaring at the demon's back for doing so, he found himself anticipating the event that was about to happen.

Nobuyuki shifted to glare at the human in his grasp once more. He wanted nothing more than to rid him of his arm, then his leg, and perhaps after that his head. However, he was forced to merely think of slowly tearing the privileged human limb from limb, for his Queen had made it quite clear that he was not to harm him. And though he did not like how close his Queen wanted this human, he would follow her orders until she saw fit to become his mate, as she was meant to be.

Sensing the glare, Miroku returned it.

Nobuyuki snarled at the idiocy this human continued to show. "Listen here, human," he spat, "do not cross the line with me."

"Perhaps you should know your place is below that of your Queen," Miroku replied calmly. His words were anything but calm, though, since this demon rubbed him the wrong way. He had not met many who he did not like at first sight, but the elemental snarling at him was one of the highest on the list.

Nobuyuki laughed then. He noticed that the human gave him a curious stare, and said, "Yes, my current position is beneath my Queen's. However, know this human: I have been trained my entire life to serve her. I have been trained my entire life to devote myself to her and only her. She knows this, and I will become her mate when she seeks companionship. Then, my status will be high enough to deny her request to not harm you, and when that happens, you shall die."

"Then may Buddha show your Lady the light."

"Keep your deities to yourself, human," Nobuyuki spat. "The only one who holds claim here is Amaterasu, and it was her that chose me upon birth to be my Queen's mate."

_Perhaps then, Amaterasu is not much of a deity_, Miroku thought. He could not understand why any deity would force this demon upon a woman. The elemental was arrogant and thought himself higher than those around him because he was meant to be his Lady's mate. His position had gone to his head, and he hoped that this Amaterasu's decision did not cost their Lady's life.

After all, from the care he had been given thus far, she was kind.

Nobuyuki bared his fangs at the human, before returning to his current task. His Queen demanded his presence now that he was healed, though truly Nobuyuki saw no reason in it. He had tried to sway his Queen's position on the matter, but she had merely sent him away when he began to argue with her decision. He could understand the reason that his Queen wanted human companionship, some were humorous, but he did not understand her need for a _male_. If she _needed_ a male so badly, she had only to ask him, and he would be on his knees to please her.

Dragging the human by the arm, Nobuyuki easily slipped through the corridors softly lit with candles. His pace was not as quick as he wished it to be when following his Queen's orders, but it was not surprising since the human was slow. No human had ever been able to escape him when their fortress was attacked, so he knew that no human would ever be able to reach the speeds that his kind used. In fact, he doubted that even with vigorous training they would ever be able to outrun the slowest of demons.

His Queen would be the only one excluded from that, for she would be the only one who would never have to run. Nobuyuki would rather die then see the day his Queen had to run, whether it was because he could not protect her or something foul managed to sneak underneath his nose. At the thought, Nobuyuki's eyes slithered to the human within his grasp, and he was determined to make sure that the male never got the chance to touch a hair on his Queen's head. He would gut him before he even got the chance.

Quickly coming upon the chamber where his Queen resided, Nobuyuki breathed the air deep into his lungs. His Queen's intoxicating scent drifted into his nose, coating his senses, and he wished once more that his task was something much more pleasurable. However, he pushed the thought aside, and pushed the sliding door to the side. His Queen's scent hit him full force, but he grit his teeth and pulled the human within his grasp into the room.

"My Lady," Nobuyuki bowed. He did not release the human within his grasp, determined to make him show the same respect as he pulled him into a bowed position. A growl, so silent that his Queen and the human did not hear it, escaped his lips when he noticed the scowl the human wore. When his Queen finally acknowledged him as her mate, he would make sure to teach the human exactly where his place was.

"Nobuyuki."

Miroku stiffened, his eyes widening when he heard the soft, wistful voice that came from the other side of the room. He went to lift his head, wanting to see if he was correct, but the elemental holding him gripped the back of his head. Unable to move, Miroku could only hope that the voice he heard was not who he thought it was. Though, he admitted that he had heard the voice so often, so many times, and there was no possible way another could sound identical—despite this, he still hoped.

"I have brought you the human you wished to see, my Lady. I will—" Nobuyuki was not given the chance to finish.

"I can see that, Nobuyuki," the Queen laughed lightly. "Now, you may leave."

Miroku had a sense of dread fall over him, because he _knew_ that laugh, too. He prayed that it was not so, but he _knew_. The memory of the elemental demons coming, muttering among themselves that they had found _the one_, before kidnapping his friend replayed in his mind, and he _knew_.

Nobuyuki glanced up, staring into the beautiful eyes of the woman he would one day take as his mate. He saw the command clear there, the order not to argue, but he protested. "My Lady, I do not think it best to leave you alone with this human male. He has not yet been—"

"Nobuyuki." The Queen's voice snapped, "Do you wish to feel my wrath?"

Nobuyuki's eyes widened at his Queen's displeasure, and he fell to his knees. He never lost his grip on the human swine at his side, but he pleaded, "No! Never! Please forgive me, my Lady."

"Leave then, and all will be forgiven," she replied.

"Yes," Nobuyuki quickly stated. "I will do whatever you say, my Queen. Anything."

Her eyes hardened, recognizing his wish to stall, and snapped once more, "_Get out_."

Nobuyuki did not speak, he only ran. He scrambled to his feet, feeling as if his heart had been stabbed with each harsh order that left his Queen's lips. He did not stay to even scold the human, threatening with a harsh punishment if he dared lay a hand on his Queen, and only ran. Out the door, and out of sight, hoping that his Queen would forgive him—thank him later, tell him of the wonderful job he had done.

Miroku rose slowly, making sure to keep his eyes down in hopes that he would look up and find something other than what he knew already. He also, though he was not sure what would happen, did not wish to bring this Queen's wrath upon him. Looking her in the eye, or in the face, could offend her, and he was not here to bring himself pain or get himself forced into a cell that he may never escape. From the way Nobuyuki had acted, he was not willing to make such a mistake.

"I do hope that you do not plan to stand there all day," the woman's voice called out to him. "I had hoped for you to keep me company until nightfall. But, I do understand if you do not wish to keep me company. You have only to say so, and I will seek my entertainment elsewhere."

Miroku peeked upward, cursing himself when he saw that he had been correct. Kagome sat on a throne of wood and pillows before him, her body twisted sideways on the chair. She was staring down at him with her pretty sapphire eyes, blinking and waiting for his response. Her clothing had been changed, most likely because she was considered to be the Queen of the elementals around her, and she wore a beautiful kimono that appeared to be as blue and clear as the open ocean. As she shifted, he noticed that the first layer was a stunning golden color, while the top layer was trimmed in black with golden vines swirling over the left shoulder. Her obi was a sea green, going nicely with the theme, and he was surprised with how natural she looked in it.

Kagome giggled, dragging her hand over her hip, asking, "Is there something that you like, human?"

He smiled charmingly, deciding that it was best not to invoke Kagome's wrath at all. He had seen how furious she got, how far she crushed Inuyasha into the ground, and he had no wish to see what she would do to him now. However, he was curious as to why she was going along with this, since it appeared that she did not know him at all. She looked at him with her stunning blue eyes, yet she did not really seem to see him, almost as if she could not quite recall who he was. Miroku did not wish to make her angry with him, but he wondered what had happened to his friend.

"Well?" she asked. She brought her other hand up, brushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She appeared completely curious about his answer, yet there was a dark light in her eyes that easily told another she was like a wolf stalking its prey. She wanted him to answer, wanted to trap him, and then she wanted to pounce and devour him.

"I do not think I've seen anything quite as lovely as you, my Lady," Miroku replied. His eyes flickered to where her hand now held her head up, noticing the black strip of cloth that clung to her skin. She had not been wearing that the last time he saw her, so he assumed that the elementals must have given it to her. And with the hint of magic he felt from it, he also decided that that must be what had changed his friend.

Now, it was just a matter of removing the item and seeing if his assumption was true.

"Really?" her eyes twinkled, and she did not appear angry about his stare. "Nothing as lovely as me?"

There was a challenge in her voice, and Miroku took it. "Nothing, my Lady. I do not think that there is anything in the land that could ever compare to your beauty. In fact, I do not think—"

"You do not need to use that much flattery to make me like you, human," Kagome laughed. "I liked you the moment I healed you, and I hear that Arisu is quite fond of you, as well. But, of course, that could be because she always takes delight in the things she is given care for. She thinks of them as pets, really."

Miroku blinked, deciding on whether or not to reply.

"Now," Kagome said, "come here, human, and tell me your name."

"I'd be delighted, my Lady," Miroku stated, beginning to walk toward her. It did not take long before he was standing over her, and he praised the heavens at the sight he saw. The kimono fit her perfectly, and he almost slapped himself for staring at her chest a bit more than he should have. She was his friend, he was supposed to be saving her, even if she did not remember that and looked interested in being more than his friend at the moment.

"Your name?" she asked.

The words slipped from Miroku's mouth without much thought, his eyes closing to block out the sight of Kagome's breasts pressing against her kimono. He supposed that it could have been that sight, or maybe the light in her eyes, but he knew that when the words left his lips, he had made a mistake. "My name is Miroku, Kagome-sama."

In an instant Kagome was on her feet, and Miroku felt the back of her hand strike his cheek. He fell to the floor, looking up at her in surprise at the strength she had used to knock him from his feet. Kagome had hit him before, but never had it hurt to the point that it felt like Sango's Hiraikotsu had slammed into his face. And, strangely, as she glared down at him, his heart sped up a bit at seeing her so forceful. So much like Sango, yet with a softness that the demon slayer would never be able to regain.

"How do you know my name, human?" Kagome demanded. "Only a few of my favored servants have been told my name, and you are certainly not one of them."

Miroku yelped when she grabbed him by the hair, pulling his face up until he was staring deep into her eyes. He decided it was best not to lie, saying, "You are my friend, Kagome-sama. The demons here kidnapped you not more than a day ago from our group. You are a miko, a holy woman, who travels with myself, Inuyasha, Shippo, Sango, and her fire-cat, Kirara."

"Lies!" Kagome spat.

"I do not lie, Kagome-sama," he quickly denied. "I am a monk, and you _are_ my friend. I would never lie to you."

Kagome thrust him away, her eyes blazing with a fury that both excited and frightened the human at her feet. She could see it as clear as day, and she sneered at him. "You speak such pretty, charming words, _monk_, but I will not be lied to. I will not stand for your foul words, and I shall punish you until I have the truth."

"I am telling you the truth!" Miroku pleaded. He did not want to think of what this forceful, demon-ruling Kagome would do with him. Of course, he also did not want to think about the rush of excitement that went through his system when she said she would be punishing him. He knew that he often grabbed Sango's backside to get the satisfaction of her firm mound, but also the thrill of her hitting him. But this, the thought of his pretty miko friend doing so, shocked him because he almost _wanted_ it.

She noticed him trying to rise to his knees, and put her foot onto his shoulder. Pressing him back into the ground, she growled, "You will learn your place, human. You are beneath me, and you have no right to use my name as if you know me. You know _nothing_ about me, and I will make sure that these thoughts are drowned from your mind. Even if it kills you."

Miroku could only pray, his eyes closing when he realized he could easily glance up Kagome's kimono from the position he had been placed in. This was, to her, his place, and he refused to make her angrier until he could figure out a way to get close enough to fix her. At the moment he knew that was not possible, since he was sure that piece of cloth around her wrist was blocking her memories of him, and he accepted that he must go through this until he could figure out a way.

So, silently, Miroku prayed to Buddha for guidance.

* * *

_Oh, Buddha help me_, Miroku prayed again. It had been so many days. So many hard, torturous days, and he was seriously beginning to wonder where Inuyasha and the others were exactly. Surely the hanyou could have found a way to get through the barrier by now. It had been five, no six days since he had found Kagome to be the _Queen_ of the elementals that had kidnapped her, making his stay a total of one week. Inuyasha had promised to come for him through force by nightfall, yet still the half-demon and his other companions had yet to appear.

Kagome leaned into him, and Miroku wished once more that he did not like it. He told himself thus, forcing down the rush that went through his system, before Kagome grabbed his jaw once more. She taunted him daily, making him do tasks like a servant, often treating him like a dog, and he—he bit his lip at the fact—liked it. Her nails dug into his skin while she stared into his eyes, before she exhaled a small puff of hot air into his face. Miroku tried to pull away—truly he did—but she was so much stronger and violent than the Kagome he had known.

He had never thought he actually liked physical punishment until he had met Sango. Yes, women had always slapped him across the face, but he had thought the blush painting their face was so much more rewarding. To know that he had flustered a woman in such a way, making her at least think of what it would be like to make his children. He had liked that, but then he had met Sango. She had nearly throttled him when he grabbed her butt the first time, and he found that it was the anger in her eyes and the fact that she could hurt him that made him want more. So, so much more, and he tried his damnedest to make her hit him again, at least once.

That was what he always told himself.

Kagome, though, beat him down. She taunted him, forced him to be her slave, and often times tried to humiliate him. All because she wanted the answer she wished to hear leave his mouth. He refused to lie to her, though—she _was_ his friend—so she continued with her punishment. And damn her—though, in truth he knew this was not truly his friend's mind at work—because she knew that he liked it. She knew, and she dangled the fact over his head as much as possible by continuing his beatings.

"So, monk," Kagome teased. "Are you now willing to admit to your lies?"

Ignoring the nails digging delightfully into his face, Miroku replied, "I have not lied to you, Kagome-sama. I might have lied in the past, but I would never lie to you."

Kagome's playful eyes hardened, the pretty sapphire darkening to the point that they almost appeared black. She leaned away from him, a scowl set on her beautiful face, before she tapped her hand delicately against his chin. He was prepared for the blow, and though she knew he wanted it, she pulled her hand away. The monk groaned at her feet, unmoving because he knew he would be punished further, and he claimed he did not wish to bring harm to her.

Finally, giving a sigh, she said, "I do not know why you continue with these lies, monk. I would give you a world of pleasure, of knowing you are pleasing your Queen, yet still you deny me. I suppose, though, that it may be time to allow Nobuyuki to have his way with you. Perhaps he can make you speak when I cannot." She smirked, "_Perhaps_ you will like it, since you do not seem to prefer my company."

Miroku's eyes widened at the hint, and he quickly spoke up, "Please! Kagome-sama, I am not lying to you—"

She struck him across the face, briefly noting that she would have to have Arisu heal him once more. He was such a pretty man, but she would not tolerate lies. She wished to know how he knew her name, why he spoke it so often, and the reason he believed the dribble that came from his mouth. Yet he denied her the answers she wanted, denied anything that she asked might have led him to the knowledge, and it frustrated her. He frustrated her, and she was quickly beginning to lose patience with him.

Miroku clutched his cheek, telling himself once more that he could not hurt her. He had to hold out a bit longer, continue to deny to himself that he liked the sensation of her hand hitting him, and wait for the others. Together they would be able to make Kagome see reason, cast aside this ridiculous notion of ruling the _holy_ elemental demons. But it had already been so long, and he feared that Inuyasha would never be able to get through the barrier.

Raising his eyes, he noted that if he could get around her, he could grab her and rip off the item that controlled her. They could walk out of this place together, smiling and happy, though he was sure he would never forget the feel of her forceful hand striking him. They would be free, though, and the demons would listen to Kagome whether she was under their ridiculous illusion or not. They would let them pass if she ordered it, but there was the problem of the item giving her so much strength.

Yes, he probably could grab her and force her under his control. However, with her new strength she would no doubt fight back, and would probably get the attention of the entire demon compound. They would come running, believing their Queen was under attack, and they would think that he had done it. Kagome might plead, but he doubted that even she would be able to get through to them if they fell prey to their instinctual nature. Kagome would live, be free, but it might cost him his life.

So, Miroku decided to wait a bit longer. Inuyasha and the others would come. They would, and then Miroku would not have to worry about getting himself killed or harming his friend. He could go back to his life before this place, smiling and remembering Kagome's delightful slap, and thinking of the day he would convince his dearest Sango to give him a child—or destroying Naraku, whichever came first.

"Insufferable man!" Kagome shrieked. "Do not lie to me, especially when I have not given you permission to do so! Do you understand?"

Miroku nodded, trying to stop the ringing in his head and the heat that went through him at her voice. He could easily picture her standing over him, opening that delightful kimono that showed her form, and forcing him to pleasure her. He almost groaned at the thought, and blamed it on his spinning mind. He should not think of Kagome in such a way, especially when he loved Sango, yet he _wanted_ her to hit him again. If only once.

Her small, slipper covered foot caught him in the stomach. She growled, "Answer me when I ask you a direct question, monk! I want to hear you say it, not watch you as you dumbly nod your head."

"I understand," Miroku said, quickly rethinking his idea of waiting a bit longer. Kagome was becoming increasingly violent, as if there was a demon lurking underneath her flesh, and he feared that she might harm him more than he knew his friend would ever want to. He did not want to hurt her, no, but he also did not want to think about how she would react if she remembered all the things she had done to him. Though, he was sure to get a chuckle out of the blush that would probably stain her cheeks after thinking about it.

She paused in her sudden pacing, but did not hit him. Her eyes narrowed, her lip lifting, as she asked, "What was it you said, monk? I could not quite hear you."

"Yes," Miroku replied, louder. "I understand, my Lady."

"Good," she sneered. She turned on her heel and went to her small throne. Sitting down gracefully, she returned her gaze to the monk now lifting himself from the floor. Shame, really, that such a delectable looking man would wish to continue with his lies. "Now," she huffed, "go fetch me some water. I am rather parched."

Miroku bowed his head, saying, "Of course, Kagome-sama."

Holding his stomach, he turned to the sliding door to go do as she asked, his mind continuing to bring back the delightful violence she had brought upon him. He wished again that he did not like such a thing, that Sango had not caused such an addiction in him, but he admitted that he wanted it. He wanted Kagome to hit him, and strangely enough, he almost shuddered at the thought of returning to Sango's fist. He told himself it was because of the soft form that Sango would never be able to regain, but he knew that it was something more.

* * *

Nobuyuki grinned, his eyes filled with delight as he watched the human fall to the ground once more. His Queen was not one to show such violence toward others, but he found it entertaining to know that she was taking her frustrations out on that blasted male. He still did not understand the reason his future mate kept him around, but he supposed if he got to see this daily, he would not mind the human's existence.

He also did not understand the reason the human did not fight back. Never once had he raised a hand against his Queen. Nobuyuki knew that above anything, because he would have ripped the human male apart for touching what belonged to him, his Queen's permission be damned. Yet he wanted him to, if only for the satisfaction of tearing his flesh from the bone, and silently prayed that this would be the time that the human male had had enough. However, he watched as the human, who he heard claimed himself to be a monk, breathed deeply and appeared to gain control over his emotions. He had to hand it to him, that _was_ pretty impressive, since he would never have controlled himself while a female slapped him around.

_Then again_, Nobuyuki thought, _if it were my Queen…_

His nose twitched lightly, his brain finally catching up with his sense of smell. Anger flooded through him within a moment, while his Queen asked the human once more to tell him what she wished to hear. Then, when she hit him, he smelled the spike in the human's arousal. Nobuyuki's growl was deep, feral, and his eyes began to bleed red when he realized that the human was getting off on his punishment. His Queen obviously did not see, so Nobuyuki was determined to put a stop to the human's trickery.

"Nobuyuki," her voice snapped at him.

He looked up, the redness fading from his eyes while he stared into the eyes of his chosen mate. He whimpered only a little at the anger he saw there, because he wanted to explain, but knew that she had already lost patience with him from her voice alone. "My Lady," he whispered, hoping that she did not send him away.

"Control yourself or get out of my sight," she scowled.

Nobuyuki nodded, happy to have gotten another chance. He watched as his Queen turned away, returning to her punishment of the human's lies. He growled low enough that she could not hear when he smelled how much the human male enjoyed the beating, but stomped his anger into the ground. He would not lose control. Not when there was a male within the presence of the one most important to him, and especially not when that male was highly aroused. No, he would stay in control, and make sure that his Queen did not bring more trouble upon herself than she wanted.

His Queen grabbed the monk's hair, forcing him to look her in the eye, a small smile on her face. Nobuyuki narrowed his eyes at the look, wondering what his Queen was thinking in that beautiful mind of hers. However, he heard her ask the human again to tell her the truth, to stop spouting lies, and promised afterward that she would not punish him any longer. She would never raise another hand to him, if only he righted his wrong.

"I will not lie to you, Ka—"

She struck him again, before demanding that he tell her the truth. The human male did not reply, obviously gritting his teeth, and trying to gain control over himself once more. His Queen became angry with the lack of response, and out of spite, forced his face into the ground beneath her foot.

Nobuyuki would have found delight in it all, if it had not been the words that had nearly left that human's mouth. His black eyes narrowed, and he snarled, wondering when his Queen had saw fit to give that human her name. She had only told it to him out of respect, knowing that Amaterasu had chosen him as her mate. He simply could not understand why she would give it to a human male that she believed lied to her, though. No, Nobuyuki simply could not understand why she would give her name to a human at all.

"Wretch!" she hissed, pressing her foot harder against the male's shoulder. "You will cease these lies, or I will put an end to y—"

Nobuyuki halted his snarl, glancing up to find his Queen ignoring the human as if he had never even been there. She was looking toward a wall, her eyes narrowed, and Nobuyuki wished only to know what she was thinking. So, he asked, "Is there something wrong, my Lady?"

"Someone has breeched the barrier," she stated calmly.

Nobuyuki stood from his place in the corner, his body already battle ready and waiting for the chance to show his Queen he would always protect her. He forgot about the human male in that moment, wanting only to prove his worth once more. "Your command, my Lady," Nobuyuki stated his question, standing tall and regal.

"Take the guard, Nobuyuki," she replied. "The threat coming is highly enraged and will no doubt cause a bit of trouble if they were to reach the compound. I want you to eliminate them—leave no one alive."

Nobuyuki grinned wickedly, saying, "It will be my pleasure, my Lady."

The elementals were running wild, Miroku noticed, only becoming organized when Kagome gave them a strict command. They were frightened that someone was powerful enough to breech the barrier they had erected, especially someone without an ounce of holy magic within their veins. Because of this, many of them came to plead their service, asking if they could be the one to stand guard over their Queen in case the enemy arrived at their door. She sent them all away, ordering many of them to wait outside the compound, and Miroku's mind swirled with the possibilities once she finally leaned back with a sigh.

It was obviously Inuyasha that had finally managed to come through the barrier. After having to pound away at it—because he had no doubt Inuyasha had tried brute force the entire time—for ten days, it was understandable that the hanyou was frustrated beyond belief. He probably thought that Kagome had been set on fire, and the elementals had killed him by now.

_Oh,_ Miroku sighed, _if only that were true_.

He knew things would not be the same once Inuyasha managed to finally rescue them and get them beyond the barrier. Every time Kagome raised her hand from now on, he would anticipate her strike, and a new rush shot through him at the thought. Inuyasha's nose would probably catch on pretty quick to what was making his scent shift, since he knew from being around him long enough that the hanyou often wrinkled his nose when he caught whiff of what he thought of Sango. Once Inuyasha knew that it was not Sango, but Kagome that was making such a thing happen, the hanyou was probably going to try and kill him.

Closing his eyes, Miroku thought over the event. Then, his eyes snapped back open when he had a brilliant thought. He nearly hit himself for not thinking of it before, but he supposed it could be the knowledge that he would finally get away from this servitude—though he did enjoy Kagome's beatings—that brought it to life. He glanced in the direction of his friend, leaning so comfortably against within her throne, before glancing over at the door. He could feel that most of the elementals were outside, probably too far away to hear her scream because they were not of an animal nature, and knew it was the perfect time to strike.

However, before he moved, Miroku cast his eyes toward the sky and prayed for Buddha to forgive him for his lies. It was not like he had not lied before, but those were also in desperate times of need, and he was positive that Buddha would forgive him once more. When he shifted himself, though, glancing over at the beautiful, violent woman sitting so relaxed, he did have one final thought.

_What a sad day it is to be a monk_. Miroku thought this because he knew that once he approached her, telling her the lie she wanted to hear, she would probably smile and tell him that he could finally have her. Oh, and how he wanted to run his hands over that soft, pliable body of hers, feeling her nails digging into his skin. He had dreamed of it often before he had met Sango, but that dream could become a reality in that instant, if only he was not under his word to rescue her. Only rescue her—which he knew he had to do with Inuyasha so close by.

Rising to his feet, Miroku noted that Kagome had locked her sapphire eyes upon him. He had come to enjoy those sweet, tempting eyes when they gazed upon him in anger, knowing that she would hit him once again. Truly, if it were not for the current circumstances, he might have fallen to them when she asked him to take her, praying that he would finally get a child. And there was no doubt in Miroku's mind that she would not ask him to take her, because she had been gazing at him with lustful, frustrated eyes for the last nine days.

"Is there something you need, monk?" she asked, watching his every step as he neared her.

Swallowing at the thick tone of her voice, Miroku continued until he found himself kneeling in front of her. Gazing deeply into her eyes while she blinked, he found himself with a twitching hand. However, Miroku forced down the urge to touch Kagome's sweet backside, instead choosing to speak before he did anything he regretted. He said, "I have lied to you, my Lady."

"Oh?" she asked. Her eyes twinkled, her hand trailing down until it rested on her hip. The movement caught his eye, especially when she began to tap her fingers there suggestively, but Miroku held himself firm. "And tell me, monk, what is it you have lied to me about?"

"Your name," he replied. "I came to this place because I heard that there was a beautiful maiden ruling over a compound of demons. A maiden that had such beauty that even demons fell to their knees in worship, and I only wanted to catch a glimpse of you. When I heard you were human, I doubted them, but then I was brought here and Arisu-san told me that the rumors were correct. I faked sleep, though I doubt they believed such a thing, and listened to their conversation until Nobuyuki-san mentioned your name. It was so beautiful that I simply had to meet you, because I believe myself in love with you, Kagome-sama."

Miroku was wary of the mischief in her eyes suddenly, wondering what was going on in her head. She was smiling, obviously, but she did not say a thing as she reached out to twirl a strand of his hair on her fingertip. It was so different from the violence she showed, and he forced down his groan of pleasure at watching her do so. He knew at that moment he had found a new obsession, though he doubted that Kagome would ever do so again once he returned her to her normal state of mind.

"Is that so, Miroku?" she giggled.

"Yes, my Lady," Miroku told her. He slid his hand up her arm, barely managing to get his finger underneath the strip of cloth that controlled her in some way. It shocked him, but calmed when he increased his spiritual energy, obviously used to holy magic. He was rather pleased, but also hitting himself for not trying this sooner. Though, he did suppose that if he had managed to return Kagome to herself before Inuyasha got through the barrier, Nobuyuki or another demon would have probably killed him.

She continued to play with his hair, before suddenly sliding her hand down to his jaw. She pulled him forward, brushed her lips against his, and giggled once more. Kagome turned her head a bit, appearing ready to slant her mouth across his own, but then her eyes hardened. Her playfulness disappeared, and she snarled, "Do not think that you can lie to me without me knowing." She reared her hand back, ready to hit him once more, but she went absolutely still in that instant.

Miroku stared at the item in his hand, watching as Kagome slumped into her throne. Dropping the magic filled cloth to the ground, he reached out and gently tapped his friend on the cheek. "Kagome-sama?" he asked softly, not wishing to startle her. Especially not if he had not managed to break whatever spell the elementals had put on her.

Her pretty blue eyes fluttered open, and she gazed at him in a daze for a moment. Miroku thought that she might not have recognized him, so he leaned in a bit more in concern. Not really noticing how close his face was to hers, he called out her name again. Her brow creased in confusion, but Miroku was quite glad to know that she had returned to normal. Though he would miss the violent nature the magic had given her, most likely so that she would remain the dominant figure in the eyes of the demons she ruled.

"Miroku," she whispered.

"Ah, Kagome-sama, I am so glad that you are finally—"

Her eyes finally snapped open completely, and she took in the proximity of them within seconds. Miroku was not given the chance to finish, because she had already slapped him with the cry of, "You pervert!"

Miroku rubbed his cheek, silently missing the extra amount of strength her strikes within this place had had. He mourned it for only a moment, because Kagome had risen in her throne, gazing around in confusion. He continued to rub at his abused skin, noticing that the rush still flooded through him, and he silently prayed that it would transfer to Sango's strikes. "I'm glad you are back to normal, Kagome-sama," he muttered.

"Where are we, Miroku?" she asked, blinking rapidly.

"I believe the question is," Miroku replied, "what do you remember last?"

She frowned at him, and brought her hand up to hold her chin gently. However, her eyes caught sight of the fabric covering her, and she gasped at it. "Holy—where did I get this?"

"Kagome-sama," Miroku brought her attention back. "Do you remember anything?"

"Um," she bit her lip, "I remember us fighting with those demons. I heard them say something about being 'the one', and then one of them grabbed me." She looked at Miroku and he nodded to confirm it. "Then they took me into that barrier, and they were running really fast. After that, I'm not quite sure. I don't remember."

Miroku nodded, thanking Buddha for this gift. Though, in a small way he would have preferred Kagome apologizing and trying to tend to him in some way. Instead he got another hit to the face, though he doubted it would bruise like the others. And this time there would be no Arisu to heal him, which meant she would see them sooner or later. "For the last ten days you have been within this compound, Kagome-sama," he explained. "I was the only one who could pass the barrier, but I had not come up with a plan to rescue you until Inuyasha created a distraction."

Kagome frowned a bit more, asking, "What have I been doing the last ten days?"

Smiling, Miroku replied, "You have been ruling over those _holy_ elemental demons, of course!"

"No, seriously," Kagome said.

"I will not lie to you, Kagome-sama. You were underneath some strange spell because of this," he picked up the cloth he had dropped, "and you have been ruling over these demons. According to what I have been told by an earth elemental named Nobuyuki, you were chosen by their goddess, Amaterasu to rule over them. You were also chosen as Nobuyuki's mate."

"WHAT?!" Kagome yelled. "Mate! Nuh-uh, mister! There is no way I'm going to be _anybody's_ mate, you understand me!"

Miroku chuckled a little, replying, "There is no need to worry, Kagome-sama. I have distracted you all this time, making sure that Nobuyuki-san was not able to get his claws into you. And you were quite determined to make sure that he did not become your mate, so you do not have to worry about that now."

Kagome calmed down, but then narrowed her eyes, asking, "What do you mean by your distracted me, Miroku?"

Not wishing to give away his want for her to hit him once more, Miroku merely smiled charmingly. Something flashed in the back of her eyes, but he ignored it. "I have merely been showing you how charming I can be around women, Kagome-sama. I have not touched you inappropriately in any way, but I did have to pretend to be your servant to make sure you did not give your attention to Nobuyuki-san."

"Right," she growled. She obviously did not believe him.

The sound of shouting outside caught their attention, and Miroku looked up from Kagome as she twisted around in her throne. She grabbed her head a little, but he did not pay that any attention as he listened to the yelling. _Definitely Inuyasha_, he thought. So, reaching out his hand once he stood, Miroku said, "I believe that is our cue to escape, Kagome-sama. Unless, of course, you would prefer to be the ruler of these demons."

Kagome shook her head, saying, "They can find someone else to rule over them. I've got jewel shards to find, an evil hanyou to track down, and I'm not becoming some demons mate because a goddess said I have to."

Miroku simply smiled, allowing Kagome to take his hand. She squeezed his, silently thanking him for being with her, but Miroku stomped down the urge to moan at the feel. He had become accustomed to her hands hitting him, and he wanted her to hit him, but now was not the time to invoke her wrath. Though, once they got by the demons and Inuyasha got them through the barrier, he would have to rethink the decision. At least until he could find a way to make Sango hit him just as hard.

"Hey, Miroku," Kagome asked him at the last moment before they left the room. "Where'd you get those bruises?"

"A story for another time, I believe," Miroku told her. Of course, he also decided that when that time came, it would also be an excellent time to pray for Buddha for forgive him once more. After all, a monk should not lie unless he had no other choice, and he decided that Kagome did not need to know that he liked her hitting him. She also did not need to know that, in a small way, he almost wished that he could continue to be underneath her rule.

_--Fin_

* * *

**_KibaSin:_** Alright, I've got a lot of news. First, I did not update this three days ago because I went to Silverwood. Which was totally fun, and if you want to know about my time you can go to my blog at MySpace or at my new deviantart account. So, if you see any of my stuff there, that is me, I did create the account.

Second: Yes, I am a deviant now. Unfortunately I don't have a scanner so I can't upload any of my artwork, but I have pictures that I've taken with my digital camera (which because my computer is so old and not compatable keeps telling me it's 2007). I took a lot of photos on my Silverwood trip, but the photos of my time in the park will only be on my MySpace, while the nature stuff will be on my deviantart account.

Third: I have a beta now! So, this chapter was betaed by Violetcarson, my most favorite person in the world right now (next to a bunch of other people, which includes: madmiko, Rinseternalsoul, Ryukotsusei, KogasAngel, RosieB, and a bundle of other people that write fanfiction and it would take me forever to write them all down). So, everybody cheer for Violetcarson! Yay!

Forth: I've FINALLY wrote this one-shot! It was requested so long ago, and I'm really sorry it took so long for the person that requested it. However, now I must go wrote on my Aizen one, though I have to keep reading the Bleach manga online until I'm completely certain he will be in character. And I have to stop myself from jumping back to the Ulquiorra one, because I absolutely love that Arrancar! I saw him and instantly fell in love and I'm trying so hard to leave him alone for a little while in order to write my requests so that they can be reopened. sigh

Anyway, thanks for reading.

_Kiba_


	66. Slow Progression: Nara Shikamaru

_**Title:** Slow Progression_

_**Summary:** In Ino's eyes they needed to hurry up and admit they liked each other, while Chouji simply wanted to go home._

**Pairing:** Shikamaru/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

_This one-shot has been betaed by Violetcarson._

* * *

"Ouch! Chouji, move over will ya?" Ino complained, pushing at her teammate.

Chouji rolled his eyes, complying so that she would stop yelling at him. Or _whispering__ loudly_, as she called it. Really, they were so going to be caught if she could not keep her big mouth shut. Though, Chouji figured that would not be such a bad thing, considering Shikamaru would get off his lazy butt when he was good and ready to. Shikamaru might be lazy, after all, but he was not stupid enough to let a good thing walk away.

Especially when he knew that good thing had the attention of rivals.

"Chouji!" Ino snapped, glaring at the bag in his hands. "Stop eating those! You're going to blow our cover."

"You're going to blow our cover, Ino," Chouji whispered. "Try keeping your voice down, before they hear you."

Ino huffed, wondering, why had she brought him again? However, she turned her eyes away from the boy eating from his bag of chips, and looked toward the two sitting in the grass. She reached out, parting the bush in front of her a bit more, and tried to will Shikamaru to make his move through her eyes. It did not work, but she did notice when he reached up to scratch the spot she had been staring at. So, she stared a bit harder.

Shikamaru glanced up, and Ino ducked back behind the bush just in time. After a minute she looked back over the bush, noticing that Shikamaru had returned his eyes to the village, and sighed.

"You know, Ino—" Chouji sighed.

"What?" Ino asked.

"—you're going to get us caught," Chouji continued. "Shikamaru's not going to be fooled by that move twice."

"Ha!" Ino cried. "I'm surprised he was fooled once, Chouji. He's such a genius, yet you'd think he would have noticed us by now. But no, Shikamaru is lazy and probably doesn't even care! Though, I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised, he is sitting next to his one true love, after all."

"I still don't think this is a good idea," Chouji said, before munching on another chip. "If Shikamaru wants to date, then he will. You can't just force a girl on him, Ino."

Ino gasped, "But this isn't just any girl! This is Higurashi Kagome, the girl that's got the attention of most of the village because she _doesn't_ notice them." Ino was rather bitter about that, because she had noticed the way Sasuke's eyes slithered toward the girl once or twice. She was positive she could win back his attention, though, as soon as she got Shikamaru to admit to his desire. "Shikamaru likes her, she likes him! This is a perfect match and you're not going to ruin it."

"I still think you should leave them alone," Chouji replied.

"Then why don't you go away and let me handle this on my own?" Ino asked.

Chouji shrugged.

Ino scowled at him, growling, "That's not an answer, Chouji. If you don't want to be here, then leave. There's nothing stopping you, and I'm sure that I can get them together much faster if you're not here."

Chouji rolled his eyes, saying, "You just want them together because she's caught the attention of Uchiha Sasuke."

Ino gasped, quickly coming up with something that would deny that fact. Yes, she knew it was true, but she did not want to actually admit it. Especially when Kagome was her friend, which was probably the only reason the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club had decided to leave her alone once she looked confused as to why they were demanding she stay away from Sasuke. Ino knew that she did not spend time with Sasuke, she did not even look at him like she was trying to catch his attention, but deep down she knew that Chouji was right.

"Don't try to deny it," Chouji continued. "We both know that is the only reason you're suddenly so interested in the fact Shikamaru's been spending the most time with Kagome."

Frustrated, Ino let out a vicious cry of, "Nuh-uh!"

The only thing that saved her from being caught was Chouji's quick jerk to her shirt, causing her to topple to the ground. Ino was confused for a moment, ready to start spitting out insults and questions to Chouji, until she realized where she was. What her mission was!

Chouji sighed, munching on a few more chips. Then, he said, "You've really got to learn how to shut up, Ino."

Ino pouted, muttering, "You've got to learn how to _stop_ eating."

Chouji shrugged, obviously having heard what she said. Truthfully, he did not really care what Ino thought about his eating habits. She might be as skinny as a rail, but he had seen her eat like a horse and then complain about how he ate. She only made sure to work off the pounds she took in, building up her metabolism, because of Uchiha Sasuke. Not that it mattered anymore, because the whole village knew Uchiha was obviously looking elsewhere for his affection.

But from the looks of things, as the girl lightly hit Shikamaru on the arm, the Uchiha would be left in the dust—surprisingly. And the whole village would be stunned into silence, because _no_ one had ever denied Uchiha Sasuke anything. The fact that a girl, the gender that often hounded at the Uchiha's heels, would be the first to do so, would probably bring about some type of chaos. Or death threats, since the fan-girls were sure to think she deserved some type of punishment for harming their precious Sasuke-_kun_.

Ino peeked over the bush once more, sighing a little in happiness at the fact that neither of them appeared to have heard her outburst. Of course, Shikamaru probably had, but the lazy-nin had probably deemed it as too troublesome of a task to turn his head to look. She muttered underneath her breath, wishing for once that Shikamaru would just get off his butt.

Higurashi Kagome leaned in, and Ino's smile turned brilliant when she saw the move. However, her smile disappeared when the girl only pulled at Shikamaru's ponytail a little, forcing the lazy-nin's attention onto her once more. She was smiling, giggling for some reason, but Ino felt no reason to smile anymore.

Really, how hard was it for two people to just admit they liked each other?

Chouji turned to his female teammate, and asked, "Why are we here again? We're not doing anything?"

"We're here," Ino huffed, "to make sure that Shikamaru finally gets off his lazy butt to tell Kagome he likes her! How many times must I explain the simplicity of this mission before you understand it?"

"Wow," Chouji chuckled.

"What?" Ino asked, confused. There was no reason for Chouji to be laughing, so she quickly turned her attention back to where Kagome and Shikamaru sat, wondering if she had missed anything. It did not look like it, since they were still chatting away—or Kagome was chatting, and Shikamaru was nodding his head once in a while.

"I'm surprised you know the word simplicity, is all," Chouji told her.

Ino scowled at him. Just because she was pretty and blonde, did _not_ mean that she was stupid. And if Chouji tried to pull that one again, she was going to make sure that he knew the meaning of pain. Maybe not physical pain, but Ino was sure that she could mess up his mind a little.

"Don't blow up again," Chouji warned her. He frowned a little at his bag of chips, silently cursing Ino for dragging him out the door so quickly. He only had two bags left, and if she got her way, he would be here a lot longer than they would last. "You already blew our cover the last time you did, and I'm pretty sure Shikamaru now knows we're here because of it."

"Doubt it," Ino replied. "He's probably trying to concentrate on what Kagome's saying, instead of gazing at the clouds above his head. It's probably almost too much work for him!"

"You know," Chouji reminded her, "if Shikamaru set his mind to something, he'd do it."

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard that a thousand times from you on the way here," Ino snapped. "I've known Shikamaru as long as you have, Chouji. He might be able to do something if he sets his mind to it, but do you see him setting his mind to this?"

Chouji muttered a little.

"Exactly!" Ino grinned. "Shikamaru's so lazy that by the time he gets off his butt, somebody will already have wooed Kagome and taken her from him. For example, it could be, Hyuuga Neji—"

"Could happen," Chouji agreed. There was no doubt in his mind that the Hyuuga Prodigy was already vying for Kagome's attention. He was constantly trying to spend time around her, do things for her, and show her that he would be the best to hold her heart. Of course, whether that was because he truly wanted to or because Hyuuga Hiashi was merely breathing down his neck, no one knew.

"Rock Lee—"

"Doubt it," Chouji snorted. Kagome might put up with the taijutsu specialist, but there was a clear nervousness that was in her stance each time she even stood near him, like she was waiting for him to try something. Probably because of his enthusiasm.

"Aburame Shino—" Ino added with a smile. Chouji could not deny that one!

"Possible, if she goes for that type of thing," Chouji muttered. However, there was also a key element of, if Kagome liked those who were silent and mysterious, why did she not go for Uchiha Sasuke's attention?

"Inuzuka Kiba—"

"You know, I really don't understand why you're saying their full name," Chouji said. "I know who they all are."

Ino scowled, continuing, "Naruto—"

Chouji chuckled at the very idea. He popped another chip into his mouth, waiting for anyone else that Ino would automatically assume could take away Shikamaru's _love_. After all, he knew for a fact that Naruto saw Kagome as more of a sister figure, which was the only reason he hung around her so much.

"Gaara!" Ino roared, making sure to keep her voice down. She could not believe that Chouji was finding it funny! His own friend's love life, and he seemed to think it was hilarious. Any of them could snatch Kagome away, and then Shikamaru would be out in the cold, even if he would probably shrug and say that it would have been too much work to have a girlfriend anyway.

"Sasuke!" Chouji taunted, watching as Ino turned an interesting shade of red.

"No!" Ino cried. Chouji just had to go and add his name, when Ino was trying everything in her power to make sure that Sasuke's gaze returned to where it should have remained. On her! Though, she knew that Sasuke tried to deny it as much as possible, just to be fair to the other girls trying to get his attention.

"Yes!" Chouji mocked.

"No!" Ino whimpered.

"Yes!" Chouji said again.

"No, no, no!" Ino growled. Her anger was quickly rising, because she was determined to make sure that Shikamaru got what Sasuke wanted. Then he would have to settle for what he'd wanted before, even if that seemed really, really selfish of her. She just could not handle the thought that Sasuke might swoop down, capture Kagome's heart, and leave her stranded in the dust. She had tried too hard for too long for that to happen, even if it was one of her friends.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Chouji laughed. It was rather fun to watch Ino explode, especially when the two they were supposed to be watching were gazing at their hiding place. Shikamaru's look was rather bored, obviously recognizing the voices, while Kagome looked confused as to who could be fighting behind a bush.

Ino snarled, throwing a punch at Chouji. He easily dodged the attack, though, since her aim was off in her fit of anger. So, instead she decided to take out her anger on the one that was the cause of it all—Shikamaru!

Chouji only blinked when Ino reached down and practically ripped the sandal from her foot. She burst from the bush, obviously not caring anymore that she was blowing their hiding spot, and reared her hand back. The sandal gleamed like a weapon as she threw it, her aim straight and true as it slapped Shikamaru in the face. He was almost surprised, but he supposed that Shikamaru must have thought it was too troublesome to try and dodge the projectile.

"Damn it, Shikamaru!" Ino roared. "Move your ass already!"

Shikamaru reached up to rub at his bruised nose, while Kagome was trying to check the damage done, obviously concerned.

"I won't lose my precious Sasuke-kun just because you're such a lazy ass!" Ino raged. "I won't! Do you hear me, Shikamaru? I'll hunt you down if—"

Chouji grabbed her, darting into the forest back toward the village. She was beating her fists against his back, and he supposed that he should have listened to his first instinct not to push Ino so far.

"What the hell, Chouji!" Ino screamed. "Put me down! I've got to make sure that Shikamaru gets the girl!"

* * *

"Are you sure you're alright, Shikamaru?"

"Yeah," Shikamaru replied, his tone drawn out in a lazy tone.

Kagome frowned, but muttered, "Well, if you're sure."

"I am," Shikamaru replied.

"Good," Kagome smiled again. "I was also afraid I'd have to heal you, since I'm sure that must have hurt quite a bit. Ino might not look like it, but she's pretty strong."

Shikamaru rubbed his nose. The girl had no idea. "I suppose. I'm fine, though. Nothing that a little sleep won't fix."

Kagome glanced toward where Ino and Chouji had disappeared to, blinking in confusion. "I wonder what set her off, though," she said. "I think she yelled something about Sasuke-san, but that doesn't make any sense. You haven't done anything to him, have you?"

"No," Shikamaru replied. "But I have a pretty good idea why she was yelling."

"Care to share that piece of information?" Kagome asked.

"You," he muttered.

"Me?" she asked, positive she might have heard him wrong. However, the shinobi nodded his head, and Kagome brought her hand up to her chin to think. She frowned when she could not come up with the answer. Finally, she said, "I don't see why. I've only spent a little time around Sasuke-san while with Naruto-kun, but I haven't done anything to him. I'm not even sure if I could. I wonder, though, if this has to do with that time those girls wanted me to stay away from him?"

"Probably," Shikamaru replied. "They're pretty obsessed with him."

"I don't see why," Kagome sighed. "He's only a boy."

Shikamaru shrugged, deciding that he had answered enough questions already. It was rather troublesome to do so, and he preferred to hear Kagome speak anyway. So, he lay back in the grass, allowing his eyes to look up at the clouds that floated quietly over his head.

Kagome smiled at the picture he made, before tilting her head up to gaze at the clouds with him. She enjoyed the time with him, because everything seemed to slow down for a single moment. And she knew the reason it did, even if she did not want to admit it just yet.

As she gazed upon the clouds, though, she still had to wonder why Ino was yelling. But she supposed that she could always ask her later, considering they usually saw each other at least once a day. She was positive Ino would tell her—after all, they were friends.

_--Fin_

* * *

**_KibaSin:_** Well, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it, since I had a heck of a time leaving Aizen, Byakuya, and Ulquiorra alone for the time that it took me to write this. Though, the Aizen one still is not coming along nicely, considering I'm still trying to read the manga at the same time. Lol. It will be done, though.

In other news, I'm getting a new computer in about four weeks. (I also have to come up with the shipping and handling money - sigh).

Oh, and though this has basically nothing to do with these one-shots, I would like to thank everyone that has been nominating my fanfics in the Inuyasha Fanguild awards. Currently my story "Such a Small World" is up for the 2nd Quarter 2008 awards in the "Best Alternate Reality" and "Best Crossover" categories. My story "Stains of the Heart" has been nominated for the "Best Adventure" category. And my newest Sesshoumaru/Kagome one-shot, "Faith", has been nominated for the "Best One-shot" category. I was so happy, since I've seen my stuff up before and I've always thought that there were others so much more deserving to win, but when I saw how many there were, I almost cried. So, thanks everyone who enjoys reading my stuff, you're great!

_Kiba_


	67. Before You: Rock Lee

_**Title:** Before You_

_**Summary:** Why won't Sakura return his love? No matter how many times he tries, she shuns him, continuing to chase the tail of Uchiha Sasuke. Rock Lee is beginning to fear that he'll never have love returned to him._

**Pairing:** Lee/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

_This one-shot has been betaed by Violetcarson._

* * *

Sakura. It was truly the most beautiful name he had ever heard. Yet, no matter how beautiful her name or her face, she proved time and again how deep that beauty went. Sadly, he was beginning to think that it was not that far at all.

And all because she continued to chase after Uchiha Sasuke. Because she wished to know the dark mystery that might never love her. She wished to obtain that which might never be obtainable, even when he stood before her, telling her of his feelings and that he would love her forever. If only she would give up her silly little dream of Uchiha Sasuke, so that he could show her true happiness.

Not the blind love that she devoted to that heir.

He was not blind. He saw beauty, happiness, and love all around him. But he saw the other things, too. The bitter, unhappy feelings of loneliness, regret, hate. He ignored them for the most part, trying to make the world seem a little brighter by doing as Gai-sensei did—telling those who had inner beauty of their youth. Trying to uplift the spirit, instead of allowing those bitter, unhappy feelings to cling to them until finally they were consumed by it.

Worst of all, though, was the greed he saw and felt all around him. It came from shinobi and civilians alike. All of them wanted something, it was human nature, but the worst thing they wanted was power. They strived for it, and that was the reason they all turned their sights onto the clan heirs. They wanted that power, the ability to rise through the ranks because of marriage, and they sought after it like starved dogs going after a bone. And even if it was not power they sought, most of them, in their disgusting greed, only wanted the clan heirs to produce _beautiful_ children.

What did it matter if a person's children were not stunningly beautiful? Should they not be loved and cherished by their parents just because they did not have the correct eye color, or the correct lineage, or some other ridiculous notion people had come up with?

Sakura. He could not describe how much he loved her. He had seen her and knew she was the one. Yet, beyond that he had seen more. The ugliness that tainted her beauty, her soul, because she clasped onto her greed and wanted to take something _just_ to make sure no one else could have it. And that, no matter how much she loved Uchiha Sasuke, was _wrong_.

_Lee_…

Sakura. He loved her _so_ much. He _never _wished to see her pulled into the game of cat and mouse that everyone played with the clan heirs. He _never_ wished to see her rushing around trying to gain love from someone that would never love her. He only wished for her to see how wrong it was for her to treat a person like a piece of property—because that was _not_ love. _That_ was obsession.

And that was what she obviously felt for Uchiha Sasuke.

Why could she not see it, though? How could she not have noticed that her endless love of Uchiha Sasuke had turned into nothing more than an obsessive need to obtain him? To keep him, stroke him, and laugh in the face of those who thought they would ever gain what she had. To be a part of a grand and noble clan, to help produce beautiful children, and then laugh about how they were _her_ children and no one else would have that right.

He understood how it had come to be so. He did. At one point Sakura had truly loved Uchiha Sasuke, wished to be with him only because of that love, but rivalry, jealousy, hate, and desperation pushed her over the line. She could not stand the thought of losing the only thing that she had ever truly loved. She could not stand the fact that so many others sought after what she wanted more than anything else. She was driven to hate them all in secret, no matter how much she had already gained toward obtaining what she wanted. And in the end, she saw that the future was bleak, and tried so hard to grasp onto the thin chance she would ever have what she longed for.

_Lee…_

He understood all too well. He knew those emotions, saw them for what they were, and had learned to release them so that they could not do harm to himself or others. He allowed them to enter and pass, like a gentle breeze, but he knew them all the same. So, he understood what Sakura felt, but he still did not wish to see her shatter when she realized that what she wanted, she would never have—he knew _that_ to be his greed.

If only she could look beyond her precious Uchiha Sasuke and see him. If only she would allow him to take her hand, and guide her back away from her obsession so she could see how twisted and revolting her love had become. If only she would allow him to help her, for he would without a second thought, and allow herself a single moment to contemplate how her love had changed so.

Maybe then she would see that he truly loved her, that he wished her only happiness, and would return the love that he wanted to obtain.

"_Lee_!" the voice snapped at him for the third time.

He jumped, blinking rapidly to dispel his thoughts, and turned his eyes upward. A smile broke across his face, as he said, "Oh! Hello, Kagome-chan!"

She frowned at him, putting her hands on her hips. She replied, "Lee! I've been calling your name for a good few minutes! I would have expected that you at least _noticed_ I was standing here! What were you doing, daydreaming?"

He shook his head, noting that Hyuuga Neji stood behind his female friend. He smiled at the way they appeared together, and stated, "I'm sorry, Kagome-chan. I was merely going over some thoughts. But what are you two doing? Spending your afternoon on a date to show how youthful you are?"

Within seconds the girl turned red, and she slammed her hand down onto Lee's head. "No!" she cried. "I was looking for you and ran across Neji! I thought he could help me considering he can see so much more than I can with the byakugan! He has been a huge help and I will thank him a lot for probably the next year, but we are _not_ on a date!"

He frowned a little, before jumping up, and nearly shouting, "That's such a shame, Kagome-chan! Your youthfulness would shine to the brightest alongside my rival! Perhaps you should think about going on a date with h—"

"_Agh_!" Kagome shouted. "Neji might only be my distant cousin, but I don't like him like that, you moron!" After those words left her mouth, she hit him as hard as she could alongside the head. The taijutsu specialist went flying for a considerable distance before he managed to right himself, but already Kagome was after him once more. Shouting about how Neji was like her brother and he was an idiot for _ever_ suggesting she date him.

Neji rolled his eyes. He decided after a moment to leave his cousin and teammate to fight it out themselves. Eventually they would both see what he saw, even if it took beating Lee's head in and talking sternly with Kagome. Neither of which he wished to do on this day. So, Hyuuga Neji walked away, leaving them to their little spat.

"_Neji_!" Kagome's shout came from behind him. "Don't leave me alone with this idiot!"

_--Fin_

* * *

_**KibaSin: **_...how in the world did I got from doing _Bleach_ to _Naruto_? I donno. ANYWAY, I am working on my Aizen piece, and my Ulquiorra piece (there are a few plot-holes), and my Byakuya piece, and I had a piece with an older Shippo in it. AMAZINGLY, I have finally come up with an idea for Aizen after many hours of going over his character time and again, and it came to me while I was trying to go to sleep. It's not done yet, but soon. I promise... or not, considering I have AP English, Physics, Pre Calculus, and US History class to jump around in this year. But, that does not mean I will not write, it just might take me a little longer if I have a lot of homework.

_Kiba_


	68. Opposites: Kaiba Seto

_**Title:** Opposites_

_**Summary:** They are different in so many ways, but that does not mean Kagome is going to give up what makes her happy._

**Pairing:** Seto/Kagome

**Anime:** YGO/IY

* * *

She sighed softly, reading the message that popped up on the screen once more. Yumi clearly did not care that she did not want her opinion at the moment, nor did she want to listen to her rant about being with someone more like Hojo. It was never going to happen, especially after she had experience so much while traveling with Inuyasha. Not that her friend knew that, of course, but it would be nice if for once she would just shut up.

'_Kagome?_' popped up on the screen. '_Are you still there?_'

'_Yes,_' she typed in, quickly hitting the enter key. '_I just don't want to talk about it right now_.'

It took Yumi a moment, with how slow of a typist she was, but she managed to get out a sentence after a minute or so. '_But, Kagome!_' She had added quite a few exclamation points to get her point across, which caused Kagome to roll her eyes. '_While I admit that Kaiba Seto is rich and EXTREMELY hot, he is NOT right for you!_'

'_Why?_' she asked.

The screen flashed that Yumi was typing, and Kagome put her head onto her hand while she waited. Her eyes flickered momentarily to the table and chair not far away, wondering how much longer she could stay stretched out on the bed without getting a major backache. However, her musing was cut short when Yumi's message finally appeared on the screen.

'_Well, first off, you two are WAY different. I mean, come on! He's mean and ruthless and a snob and so many other things that I just want to pull out his hair. You're… you're NOT, Kagome. You shouldn't be with someone like that! You're too much of a nice person, he's going to corrupt you!_'

Kagome pondered her words for a moment, knowing that Seto had probably corrupted her already. Even if only a little. But, it was really her choice in the end if she wanted to be with him, and she did. He was not like the nice, goody-goody boys that Yumi thought she should be with, and he certainly was not normal. And in the end, that was what she was looking for, because she could not think of being with a normal boy anymore.

Besides, did it really matter if they were so different?

'_Second off, I don't think you're really meant for that kind of life, Kagome. Sure, he might have a lot of money and give you everything, but don't you want more than that? More than being a pretty face on his arm every time he wins a game? More than something that he wants to throw in bed at night, yet leave you cold and alone in the morning?_'

Kagome's eyebrow rose as she read the message, and a slight giggle escaped her throat. Yumi was obviously going off the stereotype that she heard so many times about rich people, because Seto did not leave her cold and alone in the morning. She was not about to tell her that, considering the other things Yumi would then demand she tell her, but it was funny just to read the words.

'_And, well, Kaiba's just mean, ok. I don't know what you see in him._'

Kagome noticed that Yumi had paused in her rant, ending it with three periods. She blinked in surprise, because she had expected her to go off on how he treated them and whatnot. Really, it was not her fault that he just did not like them. Though, she did admit that she laughed a little inside every time he mentioned them, calling them whatever _kind_ insult he could come up with at that moment. After all, he _slightly_ respected that they were her friends and tried to be a little nicer to them than most people.

Not that that was easy, so she forgave him.

'_Kagome._' Yumi started again. '_…Is the reason you're still with Kaiba because you like THAT? Do you… like the way he treats people? Or, well, are you into the putdowns and… other stuff? I'll understand if you are, but I really think you shouldn't be in that kind of situation. You don't have to put up with that—you deserve better. Whatever that guy, Inuyasha, put into your head isn't true. You deserve so much better than that._'

As fast as she could, not believing that Yumi would think such a thing of her, Kagome typed back to her. '_Whoa! Yumi, I'm not quite sure where you're head is taking you, but I'm NOT into putdowns and beatings!_'

'_Kagome, the first stage is denial_,' Yumi replied.

'_I am NOT in denial!_' Kagome retorted. Anger was beginning to bubble underneath her skin, and she considered signing out before Yumi could type up another message. However, she deflated after she thought of it, because that would be rude. Yumi was still her friend, even if the girl just did _not_ get it sometimes.

'_Well, if you're not in denial about liking that kind of stuff, why are you with Kaiba?_'

Kagome scowled at the screen, knowing that eventually they would come back to that conversation. She could only wish that she had managed to stall a little longer. After a moment she noticed that Yumi was typing once more, obviously a little annoyed with the fact that she had not answered right away. It was typical, though, because Yumi never was one to let someone think before they answered.

'_Well? You wouldn't go out with Hojo, no matter how many times he asked. Yet as soon as you met Kaiba, and he asked, you jumped. I've always known you've liked the bad boys, but why? Why do you want to be with someone like that, Kagome? Why can't you understand that Hojo's a good guy? He won't hurt you!_'

Quicker than she could think, Kagome began to type. '_Kaiba hasn't hurt me, either._'

'_Maybe not physically, but what about EMOTIONALLY?_' Yumi replied. '_Are you really happy with him?_'

'_Yes. I wouldn't stay if I wasn't,_' she answered. Really, was it that hard to understand?

'_Are you POSITIVE?_'

Obviously it _was_ that hard to understand.

'_Because,_' Yumi wrote in. '_Eri, Ayumi, and I have talked about it—_'

Of course they _had_.

'_—and we think that we've found someone much better for you!_'

The anger began to bubble once more. Kagome's eyebrow twitched just slightly when she read that they had found someone _better_. She respected their opinion and thought, but who she wanted to be with was _her_ decision. If she wanted to be with the rich man that had a bit of an ego problem, was obsessed with a card game, and explained life as most other people being beneath him, then she could be!

'_Yumi…_' Kagome knew that she did not need to type anything else. Her friend would understand the silent message hidden behind the words, even when she could not see or feel her anger.

'_I swear it isn't Hojo!_' Yumi replied rather quickly. '_But, he's nice and will treat you well. I know that he might not have a lot of money like Kaiba, but that doesn't matter, does it? The only thing that will matter is that he'll make you happy. That's all real romance needs!_'

Finally having had enough, Kagome wrote back, '_Yumi, I am happy. You might not like Seto because he was rude to you when you first met him, but I do. He's different (don't try to say he isn't) when we're alone. No, I'm not going to tell you about it. But, I want you to understand that I am happy and I'm not going to go out with someone else just because you don't like it._'

The screen flashed that Yumi was beginning to type, halting Kagome in her quest to sign out. She knew that doing so while Yumi was clearly typing would only end up with a rather long phone call later. Of course, she could tell the maid that she did not wish to speak with Yumi for the night, or maybe longer, but she did not wish to dump Yumi's aggravation on anyone.

The girl could get scary once in a while.

'_Kagome, I'm not saying that I don't want you to be happy. Just, I don't want to see you get hurt because you're so different from Kaiba. You're… opposites. And I really think that the guy we found (his name is Haruo by the way) would be better suited to you. He wants to settle down, have children, and I know that that's always been your dream._'

Kagome's anger turned to sadness. That _had_ been her dream at one point in her life. To find prince charming, get married, raise children, and die happy. Now, she knew that that was just a child's fantasy. She had experienced so much that she could not grasp onto that dream again, no matter how hard she tried.

'_Yumi, I'm not going to say that this Haruo person isn't wonderful. But, he's not for me. I like Seto. He's honest with me. He likes me. And, I had wanted to tell you at a later time, but he asked me to marry him. I said yes, Yumi, and I'm not changing my mind. Seto is the person I want to be with, you're not changing my mind._'

'_He asked you to marry him?_' It figured that that was the sentence Yumi would focus on.

'_Yes._'

'_OMG!_' Kagome huffed at Yumi's sudden change in character. '_I can't believe this! I have to call Ayumi and Eri! They're going to be so happy to know that you're finally settling down! Oh! We have to think of wedding themes! And get everything ready! And—_'

Her message continued with quite a list of items that Yumi thought she needed to start on right away. '_Yumi, my mother is going to be helping me. You don't have to do anything_.'

'_BUT!_'

'_No, Yumi. My mother is excited enough as it is. I don't need a bunch of other things suddenly thrown in my face at the moment. 'Cause I know you'll come up with a ton of ideas, no matter how many times I tell you we're going to have a traditional wedding_.'

'_Traditional!_' Yumi replied. '_But, Kaiba's got all that money! Why in the world would you want to have a traditional wedding?_'

'_Because, that's what I want_,' Kagome typed in. '_And my mother approves_.'

A small, weeping face popped into the message box. Kagome shook her head at the childishness of her friend. '_Kagome! I'm sorry. I just didn't expect that you'd be marrying Kaiba Seto. I didn't mean to make you upset_.'

Kagome wondered if she realized how many other times she had nearly made her angry. Knowing Yumi, though, she probably did not.

'_You know_,' Yumi continued. '_Now, we're going to have to start picking on Ayumi for not being with someone. Eri's married, you're getting married, and I've got someone in mind._'

A smile appeared on Kagome's face once more. She replied, '_Yeah._'

'_Oh, I hope I can be as happy as you one day, Kagome. Get a nice husband, have a few children—though, I suppose a bit of extra money wouldn't hurt. Lol._ _But, remember to slap me if I ever say I'm going to go out with someone completely opposite than me. I know I forgot to do it with you, but we've got to stick together even after we're settled down. Right?_'

Kagome typed back her answer, before telling Yumi that she was going to go. After having done so, she thought over the conversation once more. She knew that it was not surprising that Yumi changed her tune the moment she mentioned marriage. The girl was all about romance and finding true love, even if the other person was nearly the complete opposite.

Now, the only question was what she was going to do before Seto came home.

_--Fin_

OoO

**_KibaSin:_** Well, I didn't expect to take a Seto/Kagome piece in this direction, but I haven't seen Yu-Gi-Oh in a _long_ time, so I decided not to risk it. Lol. And I liked the way I managed to use Yumi. 'Cause I don't think I include Kagome's future friends in enough of my works.

And besides that, I needed to write something else after finishing my Hiei/Kagome three-shot. Now all I have to do is complete "Unexpected" (which I'm still working on) and I can start my new story. Though, I really want to complete "Sensei Exchange" and "Breeding School" before I do that. But, it cannot be helped. The work must come out eventually. Especially when the awesome ending won't leave me alone - damn it.

_Kiba_


	69. Unwilling: Aizen Sōsuke

_**Title:** Unwilling_

_**Summary:** He wanted something she would not give him._

**Pairing:** Aizen/Kagome

**Anime:** Bleach/IY

* * *

_This chapter was betaed by Violetcarson._

* * *

She huddled closer to the top of the bed, continuing to stare at the door. She knew he would come soon, because he always did. He always came, no matter how much she wished that day might be different.

The slight creak of the door crushed her hope once again. Still, she silently hoped that someone else would step into the room to tell her that he would not be coming. That today would be the first day he could not see her. That today would be the day he would not venture beyond the threshold of her door, trying to twist her mind into seeing things his way.

However, she was not surprised when he moved into the room.

He smiled, appearing as polite as he always did. She could not be fooled, though; especially by someone who wanted power. Power they craved, and found easy methods to obtain it—another person that did not wish to work for it. Another person that did not deserve an ounce of the power they craved for, yet they constantly sought after it.

"Hello, Kagome-san," he said.

"I can't give it to you," she replied. It was the same way every time, but she was not stupid. She knew his patience was quickly wearing thin.

Instead of his normal response, he stepped closer to the bed. She pulled her knees closer to her chest, watching his slow, steady pace. He would not fool her, no matter how hard he tried, as long as she watched.

"Are you not tired?" he asked. "Having to keep such a thing secret must be so hard on you. Surely you would rather have a life free of it?"

Kagome remained silent.

"All you have to do is tell me where it is, Kagome-san, and you can be free," Aizen continued. His eyes were calculating, watching her, but he would not win. As long as she watched him, she knew his next move.

If only he could comprehend that. Perhaps then he might obtain what he wanted. She would never give away her secrets, though, so he would never know. No matter how much he offered or threatened, he would never know. And that was how she wished it to be, because she would not allow him to obtain the power he so wished for.

"I can't give it to you," Kagome repeated.

"Can't or won't?" His voice was hard and controlled, but his frustration was seen clearly in his eyes and movement. She saw it with ease, even when he tried to hide it beneath the surface. When he tried to cover it up with that smile, so pleasant and polite, yet never really doing much to contain the irritation building underneath his flesh.

"Both." She replied in an even tone, never trying to push him. Yes, she wished to escape, but at the moment it was impossible. She would be captured and locked up once more, unable to escape again.

Because Aizen, too, was not a fool.

He moved with such speed that she lost sight of him for a moment. Her blue eyes quickly focused once more when his strong fingers wrapped around her chin. Kagome made no protest as he pulled her toward him, forcing her from her position.

"I grow tired of your games," he growled.

"I can't give it to you, Aizen."

He looked ready to hit her, cold fury burning deep in his hazel eyes. Aizen resisted the urge, while she continued to watch. She knew that any action on her part would end in injury, so she settled with reading him quietly. Watching for a move that might try to bring her demise.

His fingers tightened slightly. After a moment of discomfort, she spoke quietly. "I _won't_ give it to you."

"So now we have the truth," he stated.

She said nothing.

His eyes spoke for a moment, and he changed his tactic. His eyes narrowed, and as he spoke, she had no doubt that he would do such a thing. "Grimmjow and Ulquiorra have taken quite an interest in you, Kagome-san. If you do not like my presence or my desire, I am sure they would be willing to keep you company."

Again, she said nothing.

"Perhaps that is what you want, though. To be roughly loved by those two. Is that what you wish for, Kagome-san?" Aizen taunted. "Is that what turns you on? The thought of laying with two Arrancars and being torn apart as they fuck you?"

He was tense, easily signaling to her what he was feeling. He knew that no woman in their right mind would wish to be torn apart in such a way. He knew she would say 'no', but the very thought had left him angry.

_Jealous_.

"I won't give it to you," she said. "And I won't lay with them, either."

He laughed, his desire for power overriding whatever he felt. After a moment, he said, "I do not think you'd have much of a choice, Kagome-san. You seem to forget that I know your secret—that you are forever bound to protect and hide the whereabouts of the Shikon no Tama. Your powers have shifted, _changed_, to make sure you will live forever to keep that secret. You can no longer purify, and are basically defenseless—even if you will always regenerate."

"I _won't_." She hissed a little to make her point. She tried to rub in that she would not give away the whereabouts of the Shikon no Tama. She would not hand him an item that could bring about the destruction of the world. She would not help him in his quest for power.

For as long as she lived, she would make sure that he never obtained the Shikon. He could put her through torture, kill her time and again, but never would she give up the information.

He twisted her face from side to side, staring at her with a raw emotion. One that sent a shiver down her spine, for she did not wish to see what it would bring. She knew, she did, but she did not want such a thing to happen. Ever. And it appeared that he _knew_, because a smile slowly worked its way over his face. "You do not seem frightened at all by the thought of sleeping with Grimmjow and Ulquiorra. Perhaps that is the reason they are drawn to you? I had not dismissed the thought that you had some power left, but I did not think that it was powerful enough to manipulate someone else."

_Damn_.

"Even if only on a subconscious level," he added.

_Damn, damn, damn._

He pushed her away, and Kagome only barely managed to keep her eyes on him. Watching him as silently as she could. Trying to make sure that he did not realize that by watching him she knew what he felt, what he thought, and what he planned to do. And, in the same instance, she managed to manipulate him just enough that she knew she was in control.

"Is that the reason you always keep your pretty eyes on the person with you?" Aizen pressed. "Is that how you managed to release your power? Oh, don't give me that look, Kagome-san. It was so easy to see once I realized you never take your eyes off me."

"I still won't give you the Shikon no Tama," she growled.

"You see, Kagome-san," Aizen's voice was polite once more, "there is a little problem with your plan. I know your secret now, and we're going to start over. You'll no longer manipulate me, and I will do whatever I have to in order to get what I want. But, I would not expect it to be pleasant for you."

"I will _never_ give you what you want, Aizen!" she yelled. Her hand flew, but he caught it with ease. She cursed his speed, and the knowledge that he had just gained. For she could see the pleasure he would gain from blinding her and making sure that she could do nothing to stop him from making her scream. And that lust made her shiver with the intensity of it.

"I think you'll be surprised with what I can get out of a person when I am determined," Aizen replied. He squeezed her wrist enough to hurt, causing her to whimper a little, and Kagome saw the pleasure it gave him. He enjoyed it, but no matter the pain he put her through, she refused to give him the information he wanted.

The Shikon no Tama was her responsibility. She was the guardian it had chosen. The souls inside trusted her to keep it a secret, buried deep enough that no one would ever gain power from it again. They had trusted her since the moment she was born, and she was not going to disappoint them again by allowing another to taint it.

She was _never_ going to give it to Aizen.

_--Fin_

OoO

_**KibaSin:**_ Because this is my first attempt at using Aizen, I made it really short. But I hope that I got most of his character right. I've been reading the manga and I know that he's rather cruel in a polite sort of manner. So, I tried to show that in bits and pieces, but I had to use the twisted and mean attitude for most of it. 'Cause I'm better at writing that. Still, I hope that I pulled it off correctly. I understand if I didn't.

_Kiba_


	70. Frozen Treat: Hiei

**Title:** Frozen Treat

**Summary:** She might hate what happened, but he rather liked it.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Prompt:** "Oh, no!" for The Deadliest Sin; September 17

**Rating:** PG-13

**Word Count:** 672

* * *

Slowly, it tilted to the side. She did not notice, continuing to take long licks to her hearts content. He was fascinated by it, really. Especially the way her breast lifted in her low cut shirt every time she moved her arm, allowing the treat to tilt a little more. Finally, unable to take any more, he closed his eyes and sighed.

"Oh, crap!"

Snapping his attention back toward her, a small smirk slowly tilted his lips when he saw her. He should have expected it to happen, really, but it was rather humorous to see her fuming over such a thing.

Unfortunately, she noticed the look. "Hey! This is _not_ funny! This is my favorite shirt and there's ice cream in it!"

He did not reply.

She became angrier, snapping, "You are _so_ insensitive! I have had this shirt since I can remember, and it's ruined! Look at it! I'll _never_ get this stain out!"

Oh, he _was_ looking. However, he saw one flaw in her little rant. "I do not see why you are complaining. It is only a piece of cloth. You can buy another one exactly like it."

"Agh!" she cried. "You just don't understand. This is my favorite shirt because I've had it for so long. I don't care what it looks like!"

"Then you should not care that there is a stain in it," he retorted.

"You know what," her anger was _very_ clear, "never mind. You're never going to understand the importance of this shirt."

With that said, she began to dig her fingers into her cleavage, striving to get rid of the mess. She never seemed to realize that she was putting on quite a show for him, nor did she realize that her breasts were so close to breaking free of their tight confines. He noticed, though, just as he noticed the way she stuck the rest of the frozen treat into her mouth afterward.

That was _probably_ the reason he was suddenly on his feet and striding toward her.

She noticed him when his shadow fell over her, looking up with a confused look on her face. "Uh," she said intelligently. "What do you want, Hiei?" Her anger was clearly forgotten, and for that Hiei was glad. His train of thought did not have anger written anywhere on it.

He knelt before her, giving a small smirk at the look on her face.

"Hiei?" she blinked. He knew that she would not mind him being so close, but he doubted she expected what came next. In fact, he was not surprised that she gave a small squeak when he leaned forward, extended his tongue, and gathered up some of the ice cream on his tongue. He continued for quite some time, feeling her fingers snake into the hair at the back of his neck.

"There," he said, pulling away. "Now you don't have to worry about it, woman."

She was blushing wildly, and smiled a little. Her scent told him that she wanted to continue what he started, and he would have been more than willing if she had not looked down. It was then that her smile vanished, and she whimpered, "Oh, no! Now there's salvia in it! Look at this!"

Hiei ignored his mate's whimpering, knowing that the phase would pass. Her condition had only made them worse, but he was learning to deal with each one that slammed him in the face.

Rolling the taste in his mouth, he glanced down at her once more. He did not actually like sweets all that much, but he found that it was much better when she was playing the role of a dish.

"Poor, poor shirt!"

Noticing the tears in her eyes, he decided it was time for a quick distraction. Crying females were not something he had ever wanted to handle, and he dreaded even smelling the scent of her tears. Hiei found that he was too slow, though, for tears began to leak from her eyes.

_Shit._

_--Fin_


	71. Pregnancy: Uchiha Sasuke

_**Title:** Pregnancy_

_**Summary:** Naruto's got a problem. For some reason, his best friend's wife won't leave him alone!_

**Pairing:** Sasuke/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

_This one-shot was betaed by Violetcarson._

* * *

He skidded down the street, moving as fast as he could in order to avoid the quick kunoichi. How in the heck she still moved that fast, he had no idea, but he was on a mission to find her damn husband and put an end to this ridiculous game. He was sick of having her chirping in his ear, and wanted to dump his little problem back into the hands of the one it belonged to.

Seriously, what the hell was her problem? He might be Sasuke's best friend, but that did not mean she needed to constantly come to him with all her problems. If she had a problem with how Sasuke acted, damn it, she should tell him about it! If she wanted something, damn it, she should find her damn husband and demand he do something for once in his damn life!

'Cause, damn it, he was not the one that knocked her up!

Racing through the village like death was snapping at his heels, Naruto glanced behind him. He wondered how the heck she was managing to keep up, but decided not to ask questions about it. Though, he was going to march into Tsunade's office later and demand she put Sasuke's dear, _sweet_ wife on bed rest, because he could not handle this crap anymore.

"Damn it!" Naruto cursed, when he felt the small spike in the woman's chakra. She was probably trying to catch up, but he was determined to remain at least one step ahead of her. But, damn it all, she should not be putting this much energy and effort into following him when she was already so far into her pregnancy. Clearly, he was going to have to explain to Sasuke that he needed to put his foot down and keep her locked up or something.

Knowing Sasuke had to be hiding somewhere in the village, Naruto continued to search frantically. It would be his only salvation, since the disappearing husband could take his wife off Naruto's hands. And keep her there, 'cause Naruto did not want to go through this crap anymore.

The distant calling of his name forced Naruto into overdrive, as he sped down the street at full speed. He did not continue to zip between the buildings and the people, but instead forced them to part before he ran them over. And if he did, he quickly turned his head to apologize and managed to run another person over quite easily. The cycle continued, as he whined deep inside his head, wondering where the heck Sasuke could be hiding.

"Naruuuuto!"

"Damn it, Kagome, leave me alone!" Naruto cried back.

He refused to do anything else for her. It was Sasuke's job, and if she wanted that weird list of food obtained, she was going to have to have him do it. 'Cause Naruto was not going to sit through another round of 'the pregnancy concoctions' as he labeled it. He had already endured three of them, along with having to listen to her cry, taking her to the hospital for a check up while Sasuke was on a mission, and being forced to deal with her nightmares during those times.

He was done, though. Through with it. He was not putting up with it anymore! Sasuke might be his best friend, but his wife was his own responsibility. He had more than enough money to support her until the end of her pregnancy, and he had more than enough time to be there with her each day. He did not need him to do any of it! So, he was putting his foot down and going to tell Sasuke exactly what he thought of the entire situation.

Sasuke might whine and complain, but he would have to live with it. He could live without the missions for four months, and he could spend all that precious time gaining memories and whatever else he needed. 'Cause, damn it, he was through playing wife sitter!

"Uchiha Sasuke, where the hell are you hiding?" Naruto yelled, picking up speed when he realized Kagome's quick feet were lessening the distance between them. _Seriously, how the hell can a pregnant woman move that fast?_ He screamed the same sentence over and over in his head a few times, hoping that Kagome's condition would slow her down somewhat. However, it appeared that her training had not been affected in the least during her pregnancy, and she was determined to catch him.

Then again, he supposed he should not be surprised, considering she was the _great_ and _wonderful_ Uchiha Sasuke's wife. He still rolled his eyes at that one, since his fan club just could not get a clue. His friend was already married and having a child, but all they could do was go on and on about how great he was, and how he had definitely picked the best wife.

Yet, he knew those women cried in their lonely beds at night, cursing the woman that carried Sasuke's child. And all because they were only obsessive girls that wanted a piece of the Uchiha-pie.

Hearing his name called once more, this time in near desperation, Naruto screamed, "Sasuke, you bastard!" He had never imagined himself in this position, and he could not believe that he had been stuck in it. Sure, angry fan girls and people that were angry over a prank he had pulled had chased him, but never in his wildest dreams had he imagined being chased by his best friend's wife.

He was positive that he felt just like a deer did when it was being hunted.

Racing down the street, though, Naruto never saw the hand that snuck out and caught a hold of his jacket. All he knew was that suddenly he was coming to a sudden stop, and he freaked, throwing his hands into the air and wailing. "Please, God no! Kagome, don't make me do it! Let go of me, you crazy woman!"

However, it was a _very_ male voice that replied. "What are you going on about, Naruto?"

Relief flooded through him, as he turned his tear brimmed eyes upon the Uchiha that held him within his grip. Giving a cry, Naruto basically threw his arms around the Uchiha's neck and hugged him. "Sasuke, I've found you!"

Sasuke stiffened, trying to pull him off. He growled, "What the hell do you think you're doing, dobe? Get the hell off me!"

Naruto was tossed to the ground, but he was not deterred. He was quickly back up on his feet and gripping Sasuke's shirt to the point that the Uchiha was practically leaning over him. His friend tried to peel him off again, but Naruto held his grip and hung on for dear life. "Sasuke, you've gotta help me!" he began. "It's Kagome, she's gone nuts, I tell ya! She won't leave me alone! She keeps asking for the craziest things, and I swear to everything holy that's your job! Why the hell aren't you doing it?"

Unfortunately, the words came out so fast that Sasuke did not have a chance to comprehend most of it.

"What?" he asked. "What about Kagome?"

Turning his crazed, tear filled eyes so he was staring the Uchiha straight in the eye, he went slower. "Sasuke, she's gone mad. She seems to think I'll do anything for her, and I think it's because you're always being sent on missions. I don't know what that blasted Tsunade-baa-chan is thinking, but damn it, you've got to stop taking those! I can't handle being a wife sitter anymore!"

"Wife sitter?" Sasuke asked, confused.

"Yes," Naruto hissed. "And, damn it, I'm sick of doing your job! You're the one that got her pregnant, so start dealing with the crying and the nightmares and the food—oh God, the _food_."

"Naruto!"

"Damn it, here she comes!" Naruto cried. He let go of Sasuke's shirt and tried to hide behind him, whimpering, "Hide me, please."

Sasuke was perplexed, as his pregnant wife stepped out from the crowd. She was panting slightly, and he was instantly concerned. She should not be exerting herself so much, especially not to chase after Naruto. However, a slight tilt came to his lips when he noticed the way her eyes lit up upon seeing him.

"Sasuke!" Kagome called out, jogging to his side. Her arms wrapped around his middle the best she could, while her smile brightened.

"Lucky bastard," Naruto muttered from behind his back. "Getting all the good stuff, and tossing the rest of it at me. Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Kagome," Sasuke ignored him, "I thought we agreed you'd stay inside today."

"Oh," she blushed a little. "Well, I knew you were out training and I got a little hungry, so when I noticed that Naruto was nearby, I thought that maybe he'd be nice enough to go get me something." Her smile slipped, and tears began to form along her eyes. "But, he was _so_ mean, Sasuke. All I asked was for him to please stop at the store on his way back, but he refused to even hear what I wanted. And then he ran away, and I just had to follow him, because I wanted to know why he's been so nice to me and now suddenly decided that he doesn't care."

Sasuke turned to glare at his friend, and noticed that Naruto was muttering stuff about being wrapped around her finger. He almost snorted, because he was _not_ wrapped around any woman's finger, wife or not. So, he ignored him, and leaned down to rest his forehead on hers. "I'll take you, if you want. What was it you wanted?"

Kagome giggled, saying, "I've been craving steak with peanut butter, strawberries, and garlic all day."

Sasuke blinked rapidly, still not quite used to her strange choice of food—or how she woke him up in the middle of the night to go get something for her. However, to appease those puppy dog eyes she cast him, he sighed, saying, "Alright."

Naruto huffed. The Uchiha might deny it, but he was definitely wrapped around Kagome's finger. He acted just like a good little puppy should, and that good little puppy would have to stay home from now on. 'Cause he refused to even go near their home until that baby was out in the real world from that moment on.

His wife squealed, all traces of tears and unhappiness gone with the single word. She leaned into him, rubbing her nose against his, and he allowed it. It made her happy, and keeping her happy kept him happy. Not only that, but Sasuke did not want to relive that week when Kagome had forced him to sleep in the guest bedroom because of something ridiculous that he said.

She pulled at his hand, beginning to pull him down the street, but did not forget to wave to Naruto. "Bye-bye, Naruto. We'll see you later."

When Sasuke turned his head enough, Naruto mouthed that he was an unlucky bastard and finally going to get what he had coming to him. Naruto had taken enough crap, and he refused to do it any longer. Kagome was not going to manipulate him like she manipulated her husband, no matter how much she chased him.

However, Naruto was surprised when Sasuke mouthed back, '_You actually have no idea_.'

Frowning, Naruto wondered if there was a reason Sasuke took those missions. But, he shook his head and put his foot down. If Sasuke ever asked him to watch over his wife for an away mission, he would tell him no. If Kagome ever wanted him to go shopping for her, he would tell her no. This was supposed to be their happy time, not his, because they were the ones that went at each other and ended up with the problem.

Therefore, no matter what had gotten into Kagome's head, it could stay _their_ problem.

_--Fin_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

**_KibaSin:_** I have no idea where this came from, but I suddenly had the urge to write something a little funny. And Naruto seemed like the best way to go along with it. So, this is what I came up with. I hope you enjoyed it.

_Kiba_


	72. In the Night: Yuri, Wolfram

_**Title:** In the Night_

_**Summary:** It just wasn't fair, considering how much she did for him._

**Pairing:** Yuri/Kagome/Wolfram

**Anime:** Kyo Kara Maoh!/IY

* * *

He really did not think it was fair. She should not have to sleep on the cold, hard floor while he got to enjoy the large bed provided for him. Granted, he did not enjoy it that much with Wolfram's fist rammed into his face as he snored through the night, but it was the principle of the thing. And besides, something worried him more than the fact she was sitting on the floor.

"Hey, Kagome," Yuri called. He was reminded again, just by uttering her name, that she had been taken from the world he called his home in order to protect him. It made him rather guilty, but she was constantly reminding him that he could not deny the Great Spirit's wishes. And he supposed that was true, though he really did not want another person taken from their life in order to serve him.

"Yes?" She was rather quiet, and she always had been, but Yuri supposed that was because of her job. She was meant to be silent, watchful, and always made sure his back was protected. He thought that was rather stupid, since they had taken so much time just to train her, so they should have at least given her time to interact with others and _talk_ to someone.

Wolfram's attention was drawn to them, as he frowned. Quietly, he asked, "Yuri?"

Not even glancing at the other male, clenching the sheet beneath them, Yuri continued. Kagome had turned her head enough to let him see her eye, and also let him know that she was indeed listening to what he had to say. "When was the last time you slept?"

"As if you should care about when that wench last slept!" Wolfram cried.

"It is very kind of you to be concerned, your majesty," Kagome's soft voice cut through Wolfram's rant. "I slept the other night, while Conrad took up my post."

"And before that?" he asked.

"I find time to sleep when it is convenient, and when I know it will not put your majesty's life in danger," she replied. "That is my duty."

"I know, but you should be getting at least eight hours every night," Yuri told her. "You might be a half-demon, but you still have human blood in you. You're going to push yourself to exhaustion at this rate, or worse, you could get sick."

"My health will be fine," she said. She turned her head away; the dark locks cascading around her thick cloak as she shifted a little. She looked so small there, and Yuri wanted to sigh in guilt. She had become such a great mage just to one day protect him, and never quite knowing when he would appear.

"But—"

"Yuri," Wolfram drew his attention, "you must understand. She is under strict orders to protect you, and you shouldn't concern yourself with her. She's nothing but a tool chosen by the Great Spirit to—"

"Don't talk about her like that!" Yuri cried. "She's a person, and she needs to sleep!"

Wolfram growled.

"Don't make me kick you out, 'cause I will!" Yuri huffed.

Wolfram's green eyes narrowed dangerously, as he said, "As if a wimp like you could keep me out for long."

"Your majesty?"

"Huh?" Yuri blinked. Turning back to the girl sitting not far away, he asked, "Oh, yes?"

"You should be getting to sleep soon," she said. "You will need those eight hours you were talking about, especially if you plan to take your daily run in the morning."

Wolfram nodded in agreement, turning onto his side. "She's right, Yuri. Just go to sleep and stop worrying about it already," he yawned. "Besides, I'm tired."

Yuri continued to sit up, watching her. She still looked so small, despite the power she could wield in her hand with ease. She looked so young, so human, and he could not bear the thought of her sitting on the floor all night just to make sure he was safe. "Well, you go to sleep then, Wolfram. I'm going to stay up until Kagome goes to sleep."

"Your majesty—" Kagome began to protest.

Before Wolfram could start up on him, too, Yuri held out his hand. As the Demon King, it was easy to quiet them down, but even less so to make them see it his way. "No, there's no reason to start that. I'm staying up, and that's final. Though—"

"Yuri." Wolfram did _not_ sound pleased at all, but Yuri doubted he knew what his plan was.

"—there's plenty of room up here, you know!" Yuri smiled. "So, technically, if you just happened to end up on this bed with us, and just happened to fall asleep in the process, you wouldn't be breaking any rules! And then I could get some sleep, because I wouldn't be so concerned with how much you're getting."

"What!" Wolfram hissed. "How dare you invite a woman into your bed! Especially in front of me!"

"Oh, pipe down!" Yuri waved his hand at him.

"Your majesty," Kagome's voice drew him toward her once more, "it is very generous of you to continue to think of my health. However, I am afraid such an act is inappropriate, and I would not wish to have dishonor fall upon you because of my actions."

"See, she agrees with me!" Wolfram raved. "The very idea is ludicrous!"

Yuri frowned and sighed, since he had known it would be difficult to get them both to agree that his way was the best. Kagome needed some sleep, and she was not going to get it on that cold, hard floor. So, the only logical thing for her to do was take up the rest of the space on his bed, considering Wolfram would probably shove him out of it during the night anyway. Or she could return to her chamber for the night, but he knew that would only end with her putting her foot down on the matter.

"Look," Yuri finally said. He had decided to take the direct approach. Put his own foot down before either of them could. "You need more sleep than you're getting, Kagome, so I'm putting my foot down. As Demon King, I order you to get in this bed, since I know you're not going to leave this room until the sun rises."

"_Yuri!_" Wolfram tried to protest.

"Hey!" Yuri frowned at him. "I said that was an _order_, so you're not going to give me any sass about it! You got that?"

Finally, Kagome rose from the ground. She turned toward the large bed, a deep frown on her face as she looked upon the two boys. "It is true that I will not leave your side, your majesty, but I cannot disobey a direct order. I will sleep if that is what you wish, but please—"

"You're not sleeping on the floor, so hop on in!" Yuri smiled. "There's plenty of room, so don't worry about it!"

"But—" Yuri was surprised that she was still trying to protest, "—I am not dressed for sleeping, your majesty. My cloak and uniform will only make you uncomfortable, I am sure, and—"

"No problem!" Yuri nodded. "There's a lot of them in that closet over there, so you can go pick one and change. Don't think I'll let you get out of this though, Kagome, because I'm not going to go to sleep until you're in this bed."

She bowed, saying, "If that is what you wish, your majesty."

As she turned on her heel to go to the closet, Wolfram punched him in the shoulder. Yuri grunted in pain, turning to ask him what that was about, and found the blonde glaring daggers at him. "What?" he asked.

"What? _What?_" Wolfram began. "Have you forgotten that I am your fiancée? You can't just go inviting strange people into your bed! And especially not while I'm in it! It goes against everything in society, and frankly, I think—"

"Your majesty?"

Yuri blinked, watching as Wolfram turned to begin yelling at her, and stopped cold. Wondering what could have gotten under his skin so much, Yuri turned to look at the girl. He found her with her arms wrapped around herself, his clothing hanging from her to the point it was almost ready to fall off. A light blush coated her cheeks, and it was not the first time that Yuri realized she was very pretty.

Gaining his composure, he patted the bed next to him. He said, "Oh, good, you're ready. Hop on in and we can all go to sleep!"

She shuffled forward, her lack of boots seeming to affect her grace. She stumbled a bit along the way, blushing a deep red, before she reached the end of the bed. She would have moved to his side, he noticed, until Wolfram threw himself over him.

"I don't think so, wench!" Wolfram growled. "You might have to sleep here, but you're not going to try and steal Yuri's heart from me during the night!"

She bit her lip, looking rather cute, before she moved over to the opposite side. Wolfram moved closer to him for her to get in, and complained a little when he helped her under the covers. However, Yuri was not deterred. "There, see. This isn't so bad, is it?"

"No, it's worse," Wolfram muttered.

"It is—" she took a glance at Wolfram, "—suitable, your majesty."

"Good, we can all go to sleep then," Yuri nodded. Finally, he sank into the bed and pulled the covers high enough to cover himself completely. It was good to be king sometimes. Especially since he had once had to sleep on the floor, thanks to Wolfram, and knew that Kagome would be much more comfortable where she was now. Not only that, but he was glad that she was finally getting some sleep. She would probably be out like a light within a few minutes.

"As if I'll get any sleep with that wench here," Wolfram snorted.

Yuri shook his head, allowing sleep to take him. He stayed that way for a long time, barely aware of when Wolfram's foot pushed him further and further off the side of the bed. Or when he ended up on the floor, the covers being dragged down along with him. Or when the snoring Wolfram tried to pull them back up, but never succeeded in doing so.

However, when the sun rose, Yuri became aware of everything. His eyes opened slowly, and he smiled. He had expected to be woken at least once by screaming, which he had imagined as Wolfram yelling about how perverted the woman in his bed was. But, to know that they had gotten through the night without a problem was great, though he did wonder a little on when he ended up on the floor exactly.

Stretching, Yuri huddled in the covers to escape the slight chill. He sat up after a moment, raising his hand to yawn, and looked around to see if Kagome had risen yet. She was always up before him, but he always suspected that was because she _never_ slept while he did. The sight he found, though, was so much cuter than he ever would have thought it might be, if he ever imagined it.

If only he had a camera.

"Who would have thought," he mumbled, staring at them. Wolfram, probably sometime after he had pushed him off with the covers, had wrapped himself around Kagome. His nightgown did not hinder him from cuddling his face into her breast with his leg thrown over hers, and it certainly did not hinder one of Kagome's hands from settling in his hair. Nor did it stop her other hand from gripping his shoulder, while she obviously tried to soak up the warmth he was radiating as he tried to soak up hers.

The moment was ruined a bit later, though, when Wolfram finally opened his eyes. Yuri knew it was coming, since there was no way the other male would not realize what he was cuddling was not him. Not that he cuddled at all, since he liked to kick and push in his sleep, so it was actually rather surprising to have found him cuddling with Kagome. But, his musing was quickly shattered as Wolfram screamed, causing the peacefully sleeping Kagome to awaken in a start.

Lightning blossom in the middle of Kagome's hand, while she searched frantically for the danger. And while Wolfram flung a bunch of different curses at her, Yuri began to laugh. It caused both of them to turn to him, as he choked out, "You should have seen how cute you two were!"

Kagome blushed bright red, turning her face away.

Wolfram, however, put his last word in, "What are you talking about, you wimp! I would never look cute with this—this harlot! _Agh!_"

If Yuri was not laughing so hard, he would have snapped at Wolfram for using such a harsh term. But, as luck would have it, he just could not get that image out of his head until Wolfram finally decided to beat it out of him, Kagome rushing to stop him.

_--Fin_

_

* * *

**KibaSin:**_I have never seen a Kyo Kara Moah! crossover, but as I started watching the series, I just had to do this. And, it got even better when I decided to make Wolfram cuddle with Kagome, instead of having Kagome cuddle with Wolfram. Hopefully, though, I did not scare anyone away with my weirdness, since I do write the oddest things. OR, maybe I've made you think about watching the series and writing your own! That would make my day, considering I want to read it! So much! Oh, WOLFRAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (fan-girl squeal!)

_Kiba_


	73. A Husband’s Duty: Hyuuga Neji

_**Title:** A Husband's Duty_

_**Summary:** He would protect her in her state of vulnerability because it was his duty and he loved her._

**Pairing:** Neji/Kagome

**Anime:** Naruto/IY

* * *

"N-Neji…" she called groggily.

"Sh." He ran his hand over her forehead, brushing her bangs aside. "Go back to sleep."

Her tired blue eyes stared up at him, and she smiled slightly. The feel of his hand was wonderful to her exhausted mind, but the nagging need to ask her question remained. "Is there s—" she yawned, "—something wrong?"

"No," he assured her. "I just thought I heard a noise."

"Mm-kay," she quietly mumbled. She trusted him and his Byakugan. If he said there was nothing there, then there most likely was nothing there. There was no reason to say otherwise, so she cuddled back down into the covers of their bed, and allowed his soothing hand to slowly help her drift back into the land of dreams.

His lips tilted just slightly, while she fell back into her peaceful state of unconsciousness. And he tucked a stray strand of hair back behind her ear, brushing his knuckles across her cheek, before he stood from the bed. His hand instinctively reached for his yukata in that moment, lying innocently in a nearby chair, and he slipped it onto his body as he turned toward the door.

He was glad Kagome had not sensed them, though his eyes bulged with the Byakugan and caught sight of the three unknown chakra signatures with ease. She would have made such a fuss, begging him to let her help him rid the Hyuuga compound of them. And he would have had to tell her 'no' a thousand times, most likely ending the fight as the enemy attacked and forced her to participate.

This way was definitely better.

Opening the door, he took a brief glance back at the small woman behind him, and then stepped out into the hallway. The door clicked back into place with a jerk of his hand, alerting the hidden enemy as the chakra signatures shifted. It was far too dark for them to catch sight of his Byakugan, but his current mission did not require them knowing that his kekkei genkai was activated. It only required that his opponent was eliminated.

Moving away from the room, the three signatures focused themselves upon the door, as he had expected them to do. They were after her. Her and the child she might carry. It was the only explanation, as he stealthily slid out of sight and swiftly materialized behind the first of his opponents.

Pressing his fingers into the back of the man's neck, he watched as he slid to the floor without a sound. Only the loud thump alerted his partners that he had been eliminated, and the moment the first turned, his hand had already pressed into his sternum, sending a wave of chakra straight to his heart. The second man, unlike the first, died.

"What the _fuck_?" the third cursed.

Sweeping his hand out again, Neji went for the man's throat. However, the third seemed more intelligent than his unconscious and dead partners, as he retreated a safe distant from his gentle fist style. His eyes followed him without needing to turn his head, though he did turn his pale eyes upon him, noticing that the stare seemed to unnerve him just a bit.

"Heh," the other shinobi chuckled. "We were expecting you to be on a mission. Apparently someone around here's been handing out false information."

"Who sent you?" Neji demanded.

"You should know I'm not gonna give up that information," the man growled. "Even if I _knew_ who told us to retrieve your precious little wife. All I know is that we received a _very_ tempting offer via scrolls—much safer that way for our employer—and now I'm going to be taking that sweet little woman you're protecting."

Kunai flashed through the hallway, and Neji easily slid from their path. The other man was clearly trying to gage his reaction time, considering any intelligent shinobi would have at least tried to attach paper bombs to the end of the kunai in order to distract him. He would be easy enough to kill. And it was rather surprising, considering the last attempt at kidnapping his wife had contained at least capable shinobi that _might_ have slipped by him if it were not for his Byakugan and suspicious nature.

Slipping down into a stance, Neji smirked just slightly.

"_Shit_," the other man cursed, recognizing the stance.

"Hakke Rokujuu Yonshou," Neji stated, easily flying across the distance that separated them and beginning to strike the other shinobi rapidly. His Byakugan saw all of the chakra holes, and his fingertips dug into them, blocking the flow of chakra and effectively putting an end to the other shinobi's _mission_.

A few doors opened nearby, as other Hyuuga members stuck their heads out to see what all the commotion was about. One even stepped out, frowning at the three bodies lying in the hall—one dead and the other two unconscious. "Neji-sama?"

"Two of these men need to be taken to Tsunade-sama for questioning," Neji quickly commanded. "The other needs to be taken to the hospital. The medic's may be able to determine where they came from if Tsunade-sama or Ibiki cannot get any information out of the other two."

Dipping his head, the other Hyuuga agreed to do the task.

Knowing that the work would be done—considering the other branch members took it upon themselves to make sure he and Kagome got everything they needed—Neji returned to his room. He ignored the man lying outside, knowing he would be gone by morning, and pushed the door open and closed with ease. Once inside, he slipped the yukata away from his body and returned to his side of the bed, looking down upon the tired, sleeping woman snuggling into the blankets for warmth.

Once again, he reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair away from her face. She grumbled a little, calling his name, and the faint appearance of a smile touched his face as he slid underneath the covers. She sensed his warmth almost immediately, rolling into him and allowing her arms to tuck into his side, while he continued to gently smooth her hair away from her eyes.

Another wave of protectiveness washing over him, Neji allowed his Byakugan to deactivate as his hand rested on her flat stomach. Tonight, perhaps even tomorrow, he would remain awake for her. To make sure that she got the rest that she needed and they did not have any untimely visitors, no matter how many times foolish countries thought they might get by his Byakugan.

It was his duty, after all, he planned to fulfill it.

_--Fin_


End file.
